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
Winter transforms Exmouth Market into a festive light display.
—
Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Models dressed in Marie Antoinette-style Rococo finery with a Glastonbury grunge twist at Harris Reed’s festive fall show for Nina Ricci.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The previously festive environment started to feel political as tension followed the team into the ballpark.
—Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
On that morning, the national flag was raised over the city for the first time, and a festive atmosphere prevailed, with workers and politicians, adults and children celebrating in the streets.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Models dressed in Marie Antoinette-style Rococo finery with a Glastonbury grunge twist at Harris Reed’s festive fall show for Nina Ricci.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The previously festive environment started to feel political as tension followed the team into the ballpark.
—Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
On that morning, the national flag was raised over the city for the first time, and a festive atmosphere prevailed, with workers and politicians, adults and children celebrating in the streets.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festive
Adjective
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Cool and covered Navigating the changing seasons means creating an outdoor kitchen that’s both durable and designed for merry gatherings.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
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That would be the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, where A-listers gather to drink, dance, and be merry until the early-morning hours.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Johansson revived the classic 1996 style that started it all, showing fresh iterations that were cropped, shrunken, and rendered in delicious shades like cotton-candy pink and jolly-rancher blue.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
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There’s a great Wings photo that fans cherish — a day in the Scottish highlands, the family farm, Paul and the band playing a jolly game of footie while his sheepdog muse Martha joins in, chasing the ball.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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They are principled, cheerful, resilient leaders.—
Peter Jensen,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Mar. 2026
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Don’t forget to add these $13 blackout curtains to bedrooms and guest rooms, and hang this cheerful spring wreath on the front door.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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