1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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
  • But that’s all to the good for this rare example of original animated storytelling in a sea of IP and sequels.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Both players are intense and animated competitors, and their fan bases' are fiercely loyal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of animated
Adjective
  • Just a rugged man in a stream There is, of course, nothing nonchalant about the exchange.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Then Gurov takes that famous bite of watermelon, a metaphor for what has just happened and his nonchalant reaction to it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonchalant
Adjective
  • This is a place where adults make the pilgrimage to the legendary Pinto Ron and Pizza Pete tailgate spot in the Hammer Lot where Pinto Ron's team of merry pranksters pour shots of liquor into a bowling ball finger hole.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The hotel itself is staffed by a small but merry cadre of Lost Boys whose endearing mix of irreverence and can-doism gives the hotel its cool, devil-may-care personality.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of merry
Adjective
  • Peter Max, whose cheerful graphic images helped define 1960s hippie and Summer of Love culture, has died at age 88, reports The New York Times.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • But poll respondents weren’t particularly cheerful about the ideas of Democrats either, or of Democratic Socialists, who have been much in the news of late.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of cheerful
Adjective
  • In the first few photos, the human rights activist could be seen wearing a breezy bright yellow sleeveless sundress, which featured a ruched crew neckline and a polarizing bubble bodice silhouette.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026
  • California light pollution map To show just how bright California’s night sky has grown, The Bee modeled where skies are brighter at night across the Golden State.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of bright
Adjective
  • And please remember that a joyful classroom is not an unserious classroom.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Then Jesus appears and leads them through a joyful summer day of parables and prayer, in a New York City otherwise devoid of people.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of joyful
Adjective
  • The smart money was on the colorful, energetic Sinclair with a ready answer and the catchy acronym.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
  • But the last two decades have been filled with challenges for McClatchy, whose chain of newspapers across the Central Valley and beyond was once known for its energetic journalism and independent streak.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of energetic
Adjective
  • The song celebrates the beauty of one’s native land and the innocence and carefree spirit of childhood.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Their bouncy attitudes inevitably mold the vast open country in their own carefree image.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All