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

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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

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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

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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 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
  • Guests were encouraged to wear baseball jerseys, hats and other baseball attire, and each child got to choose their own walk-up song.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The somewhat bridal nature of Jodie Woods’s attire vaguely recalled one of her sister’s looks from earlier this year.
    — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of attire
Noun
  • Black Friday may still be a few weeks away, but furniture retailers aren’t waiting for the official festivities to begin.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Bold statement earrings — the Pave Bow earrings from Neale’s Wrap It Up collection, her holiday capsule that was unveiled at the festivities — and a few choice rings rounded out her look.
    — Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of festivity
Noun
  • Leaders, in particular, have the power to shift the mood of their teams, not by pretending everything is fine or manufacturing cheerfulness but through tone, body language, and small actions.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The service Professionalism comes with genuine warmth, cheerfulness, and a sense of people absolutely loving their jobs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • Kate Middleton and Prince William, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester all donned their white tie finery for the Windsor Castle event.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In another, Asia Argento, in the gaudy finery of Madame du Barry, reads the palms of her co-stars during a break in filming.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of finery
Noun
  • Sunday jazz brunches are something of a local institution, drawing Nairobi families for celebrations—the sign of a great city hotel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Four months later, Peter reaches out to an estranged Wendy with an invitation to his annual Scary New Year celebration at his parents’ remote cabin.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of celebration
Noun
  • The universal glee of getting tacos (Silvia Razgova) Picture the moment when a taquero hands you a warm paper plate heaping with warm tortillas and meats on a street in Los Angeles.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • These songs are very evidently arranged, with ticklish, left-field grooves and tight pockets—never too tight for the persistent, puckish charm, the elbow-nudging glee.
    — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • The debate went viral in recent days, prompting a slew of Halloween costumes, a four-course restaurant tasting menu and public appearances by a real duck named Olivia.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Elsewhere in the memoir, Dench spoke about the 2004 sci-fi film’s costuming while comparing costume fittings for movies and theatre.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of costume
Noun
  • But the rollicking jollity that accompanies the final two acts, which includes the entrance of pirates and the abduction of Marina to a brothel, robs the ending of some of its pathos.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of jollity

Browse Nearby Words

gagsters
gaiety
gaily
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Cite this Entry

“Gaiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaiety. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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