as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
we arrived at the Christmas party to find everyone already in a festive mood, perhaps owing in part to the punch
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Recent Examples of festive
While the Fourth of July promises the potential for bigger and brighter celebrations this year, many consumers may struggle to feel festive.
—
Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
Sofía Vergara is feeling festive.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 25 May 2026
Perhaps the only negative on a festive Memorial Day at KU was the Jayhawks’ exact seeding.
—Gary Bedore
may 25, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2026
The fixture list for next season, including whether there will be a Friday night curtain-raiser and the festive schedule, will be released on Friday, June 19 at 10am BST (5am ET).
—Luke Bosher, New York Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
Sofía Vergara is feeling festive.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 25 May 2026
Perhaps the only negative on a festive Memorial Day at KU was the Jayhawks’ exact seeding.
—Gary Bedore
may 25, Kansas City Star, 25 May 2026
The fixture list for next season, including whether there will be a Friday night curtain-raiser and the festive schedule, will be released on Friday, June 19 at 10am BST (5am ET).
—Luke Bosher, New York Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festive
Adjective
-
The picture’s eclectic cast, which included Anouk Aimée, Greta Scacchi and Maximilian Schell (with cameos by Faye Dunaway, Holly Hunter and Jeff Goldblum), swirled its merry way across the grand event in search of romance, fame and the ever-elusive movie deal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
But in the cycling ecosystem, the Rockets are still minnows, a bunch of merry men with a camera — up against teams funded by international business conglomerates and nation states.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
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Fishing boats sat docked along the pier, bouncing on top of the water like a row of jolly babies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Fifteen minutes earlier, a cheerful therapist had slathered them in medicinal herbs and thermal mud from the nearby island of Ischia.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
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Think softer citrus tones, cheerful corals, butter yellows, and vibrant pinks and greens—anything that feels particularly sunny or energetic.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festive. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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