gaiety

noun

ˈgā-ə-tē How to pronounce gaiety (audio)
variants also gayety
Definition of gaietynext
1
as in attire
dressy clothing attendees of the masquerade ball arrived dressed in all their gaiety

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in festivity
joyful or festive activity loved the gaiety of the annual harvest festival the gaiety of the wedding reception

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cheerfulness
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter the gaiety of children enjoying an outing at an amusement park

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 gaiety The service itself is fleet on its feet, which lends to the gaiety of simply being in this space, with a noise level not to high (except for a wholly out of place intrusion of thumping music Boulud would never have in France). — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Later, for nearly 60 years, the lights were out and the gaiety muted in this once-vibrant community. — Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026 For Godard, humor is performative, not just a way of getting a laugh but of getting a rise—or of setting the clock back and imposing a boyish gaiety on the stern responsibilities of adults. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2025 The opening Allegro vacillates between punchy jabs and fluttery gaiety. — Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaiety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaiety
  1. attire
  2. festivity
  3. cheerfulness
  4. finery
  5. celebration
  6. glee
  7. costume
  8. jollity
Noun
  • One concern was that many European venues lack air conditioning, and David worried that guests would be uncomfortable in black-tie attire.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Yeoh turned to Schiaparelli for her attire, clad in a classic black and white look with pops of gold throughout.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Definition of attire
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
  • For the wedding festivities, Spencer wore a total of five custom Dolce & Gabbana dresses.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of festivity
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
  • Camilla has also been present wearing her finery at Ascot, cheering from the stands alongside Charles.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • People love to fantasize about clothes, to imagine what their own bodies might feel like encased in finery or outfitted in some outré style.
    — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of finery
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
  • Russian war bloggers responded to Fedorov’s dismissal with glee, noting his role in masterminding long-range drone strikes on oil facilities that have caused a fuel crisis and midrange attacks that disrupted military logistics.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • Although Jones takes responsibility for the hurt and dysfunction his compulsive tomcatting caused, the legendary lothario details his conquests with barely disguised glee.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • Framed costume designs by Messel line the walls, and the skirted dressing table is topped with a vintage perfume atomiser with a puffy spray bulb and, of course, a bowl of yellow roses.
    — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 29 July 2026
  • One art form that might seem implacably hostile to such tactics is opera, whose complex fusion of singing, stagecraft, orchestra, and costumes usually depends on generous fly space, wings, and an ample pit.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Definition of costume
Noun
  • The finale is an ambiguous mix of jollity and agitation, with a piccolo shrieking above a militant march.
    — Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Winston Peacock’s Ghost of Christmas Present is especially winning with decidedly John Belushi-esque jollity.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Dec. 2025
Definition of jollity

Browse Nearby Words

gagsters
gaiety
gaily
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gaiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaiety. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gaiety

Nglish: Translation of gaiety for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All