1
as in cheerfulness
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter
rather than mourn our friend's death we celebrated his life, and his memorial service was more notable for its festivity than its funereal gloom
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in celebration
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something
year-long festivities will mark the 300th anniversary of the city's founding
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in merrymaking
joyful or festive activity
in keeping with their habit of doing everything in a big way, the couple's wedding will entail a whole weekend of festivity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of festivity
Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko attended the festivities in the Russian capital.
—
CBS News, 9 May 2026
Grand Geneva keeps its guests entertained year-round; during the Christmas season, for instance, six weeks of festivities called Christmas In the Country include Brunch with Santa, holiday lights, and an Elf Mail Run—all part of Lake Geneva's holiday magic.
—Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 9 May 2026
Returning 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner, too, will take part in this weekend’s festivities, multiple sources told The Post — as the Broncos clearly want to squeeze any potential development reps for a still-raw but high-upside tight end.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The Attenborough Nature Reserve, opened by Attenborough in 1966, is meanwhile celebrating both the presenter’s birthday and the reserve’s 60th anniversary, and plans to host three days of festivities to celebrate.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festivity
CBS News, 9 May 2026
Grand Geneva keeps its guests entertained year-round; during the Christmas season, for instance, six weeks of festivities called Christmas In the Country include Brunch with Santa, holiday lights, and an Elf Mail Run—all part of Lake Geneva's holiday magic.
—Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 9 May 2026
Returning 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner, too, will take part in this weekend’s festivities, multiple sources told The Post — as the Broncos clearly want to squeeze any potential development reps for a still-raw but high-upside tight end.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
The Attenborough Nature Reserve, opened by Attenborough in 1966, is meanwhile celebrating both the presenter’s birthday and the reserve’s 60th anniversary, and plans to host three days of festivities to celebrate.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for festivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivity
Noun
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This kind of optimism and cheerfulness can make leaders more empathetic and pleasant to work with, partly because psychology research finds that positive moods increase helping, generosity and interpersonal understanding.—
Aditya Simha,
The Conversation,
7 May 2026
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Half critic, half concierge, Edwards’ round-ups are generally distinguished by a cheerfulness.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Woodward and McNeela are both captains who enjoyed Marist’s celebration on senior night.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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Designed by architects Jørgen Bo and Wilhlem Wohlert, the structure, on the grounds of an old villa, is as much a celebration of the outdoors as the art inside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Just for Fun Driven largely by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, a wave of playful merrymaking that embraces maximalism, humor, and individuality is on the rise, Michaels reports.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
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Museums also make for a great break from holiday-merrymaking.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Friends including Whitney Cummings, Kaitlyn Dever, Ben Platt, Olivia Wilde, Uzo Aduba, Joey King and Monica Lewinsky chimed in with glee in comments on the joint post.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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Managers attacking journalists usually ends one way, and, predictably, Bild spent the rest of the weekend reporting with glee on Frankfurt’s defeat and poor form.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
Noun
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The three-time Oscar-winning director explained his decision to opt out while taking questions at the festival’s Rendez-Vous event.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
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Mayor Taylor said the revival of the Arabian Nights parade and festival is the latest step in that path of revival.—
Joshua Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Through scenes of gossip, frolicking and even a foot chase as cops try to shut the revelry down, Basholli introduces her setting (Prishtina, Kosovo in the late ‘90s) as though the audience were an eager participant in every conversation, and privy to the girls’ secrets.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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Junkanoo revelry is dedicated to the dead, and here Munroe commemorates Beadle through a series of paintings depicting a memorial procession based on photographs by the Bahamian photographer Jackson Petit, as well as through Beadle’s material legacy.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Their laughs and chatter fill the countryside and one another’s hearts, the merriment binding them all together like caterpillars in one big cocoon.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Lanie breaks into the merriment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson star in the writer-director’s third feature film, which received a six-minute standing ovation on Wednesday night as Schoenbrun hugged their stars to roaring applause and cheers from the crowd.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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According to Briggs, after an officer took off his shirt in a faux striptease during a dance-off for a raffle prize, Kennedy put dollar bills in the officer’s pockets then took a bow — which Briggs said elicited cheers.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivity. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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