gay

adjective

ˈgā How to pronounce gay (audio)
Definition of gaynext
1
as in animated
having much high-spirited energy and movement couples dancing a gay, fast-paced jig

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonchalant
having or showing freedom from worries or trouble a gay, thoughtless girl who didn't care whether her work was done or not

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor had a gay old time at the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cheerful
having or showing a good mood or disposition with a gay toss of his coat over his shoulder, the dapper old gentleman set off for the party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in bright
serving to lift one's spirits the skylark's gay song lifted me out of my gloom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in joyful
joyously unrestrained it was the era of the flappers, and young women were gay, bold, and defiant of convention

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gay contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gay are animated, lively, sprightly, and vivacious. While all these words mean "keenly alive and spirited," gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits.

the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s

When is it sensible to use animated instead of gay?

The words animated and gay can be used in similar contexts, but animated applies to what is spirited and active.

an animated discussion of current events

When might lively be a better fit than gay?

In some situations, the words lively and gay are roughly equivalent. However, lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy.

a lively debate on the issues

When would sprightly be a good substitute for gay?

While the synonyms sprightly and gay are close in meaning, sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit.

a tuneful, sprightly musical

When is vivacious a more appropriate choice than gay?

The synonyms vivacious and gay are sometimes interchangeable, but vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring.

a vivacious party host

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gay
  1. animated
  2. nonchalant
  3. merry
  4. cheerful
  5. bright
  6. joyful
  7. energetic
  8. carefree
Adjective
  • Bautista has several other movies coming up, Alpha Gang, which premieres at the Toronto Film Festival; the animated Ally; and Highlander.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Although animated sequels have majorly rebounded at the box office, original fare remains challenged.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 July 2026
Definition of animated
Adjective
  • After William and Kate were so nonchalant, staff turned to historical clippings about how to proceed, according to Myers.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 22 July 2026
  • The nonchalant stadium style Victoria Beckham embraced while rooting for England’s national team was at times an attraction in itself.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 19 July 2026
Definition of nonchalant
Adjective
  • Fortune’s intrepid tech editor, Alexei Oreskovic, and his merry band of reporters will carry on in my absence.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, which marked the first holiday season for Epic Universe, merry decor was concentrated in its Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic and Celestial Park sections.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of merry
Adjective
  • In the Role Model book, Troy Barrett is a hockey player on Ilya’s team with a history of bullying, while Harris Drover is the team’s cheerful social media manager.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Outdoor brands like Halfdays, FP Movement, Patagonia, and Athleta have quite frankly never looked better, with cheerful colorways, unique designs, and trail-ready pieces all proving that function doesn’t have to mean boring.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerful
Adjective
  • For example, when light bends around a sharp obstacle or boundary, such as a knife edge, the waves bend and interfere with one another to create bands of dark and bright light.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • While The Row’s version is sold out in classic shades like black and cream, Quince just dropped fresh summer and early fall colors, including ivory, bright red, and tea green.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • Rather than install a conventional luxury department-store anchor, Fontainebleau chose a retailer built around ease and joyful discovery.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Four years have passed in joyful ways— Wouldst stay those old times dear?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • The energetic gameplay and short rounds make Dutch Blitz easy to play with your family over and over again, without getting bored.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Maurice’s brother Verdine joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 1970, contributing to its distinctive sound with his energetic performances and innovative bass lines.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of energetic
Adjective
  • Ahn Bo-hyun returns as Jin Yi-soo, the carefree chaebol heir turned Violent Crimes detective—rejoining the unit after completing his formal police academy training.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Prime Video’s The Devil's Mouth begins with a carefree vacation between a group of lifelong friends in Thailand.
    — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026
Definition of carefree
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.

Browse Nearby Words

gawps
gay
gayness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gay. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gay

Nglish: Translation of gay 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 that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All