festivity

noun

fe-ˈsti-və-tē How to pronounce festivity (audio)
Definition of festivitynext
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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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of festivity Researchers think geoglyphs may have served ceremonial or cultural purposes, such as a hosting site for festivities, but their exact function is still up for debate. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 29 July 2026 Sometimes therapists and family members join the party, and Kaye leads the festivities, waving a diploma up on the bench. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 Donovan partnered with longtime MLS sponsor AT&T for the festivities to bring fans closer to the action. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 Then, the couple and their children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — attended the annual Trooping the Colour festivities. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for festivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivity
  1. cheerfulness
  2. celebration
  3. merrymaking
  4. glee
  5. festival
  6. revelry
  7. cheer
  8. merriment
Noun
  • Positive qualities—promptness, diligence, cheerfulness—sped up your ascent through the ranks; negative ones—laziness, dissipation, late mornings—slowed it down.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026
  • How is one not enamored of the Dutch fans’ togetherness and cheerfulness, or the costumes and smiles of the Japanese fans?
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • Sacramento State is planning its biggest homecoming celebration yet as the university begins its first football season in the Mid-American Conference, but this year's festivities come with a major change after a concert last season ended in chaos.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Unfortunately, the big 20th-anniversary celebration likely stymied any conversations around cleaning house.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 31 July 2026
Definition of celebration
Noun
  • Nor did great merrymaking surround its 2001 move to pioneer quantitative easing.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Once ground was completely covered with shards of tableware, folks journeyed from their seats into the center of the room for more dancing and merrymaking.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Definition of merrymaking
Noun
  • Aegon cackles with glee as Tyland ducks to the ground and his enemies snap, crackle, pop in the night.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • To the director’s glee, modern audiences may be more uncomfortable with Erika and Elliot’s lopsided power dynamic than the sight of sweet-faced Hoffman in a pig mask and panties.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • Several years ago, performer and playwright Ty Autry had the idea of bringing together an Atlanta performing arts festival for the LGBTQ community.
    — Jim Farmer, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • One night earlier, Lipa made another appearance in the crowd at the festival.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of festival
Noun
  • And with training camp beginning Saturday, attention again has been diverted to the incident that remains unresolved — an allegation that Nacua left bite marks on a woman’s shoulder during an evening of revelry.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • Throughout my 20s, a crew of us would take an annual European ski trip that was often more focused on après ski revelry than downhill pursuits.
    — Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
Definition of revelry
Noun
  • The one-hour theater performance takes place on a moving train and features singalongs, spellcasting and House cheers.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Now, raise a glass and say cheers to our USA TODAY Bars of the Year 2026.
    — Liz Johnson, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of cheer
Noun
  • Downtown Saluda turns into a walkable outdoor gallery, showcasing pottery, sculpture, paintings, and all manner of other crafts, and it’s all complemented by live music and general merriment.
    — Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 15 July 2026
  • Throughout the visit, much of which could happen during a spring snowstorm, Denver city leaders will attempt to demonstrate the city’s logistical, financial and merriment potential.
    — Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 5 May 2026
Definition of merriment

Browse Nearby Words

festivities
festivity
festoon
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Cite this Entry

“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivity. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on festivity

Nglish: Translation of festivity for Spanish Speakers

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