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
  • Favoring bold colors like royal blue, granny apple green and unexpected combinations like mauve and burgundy for her tennis attire, Eala is tough to miss on the courts.
    — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Brightly colored and casual beach attire is a no-fail way to get flagged as a vulnerable tourist while abroad.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of attire
Noun
  • The show then transitioned from the runway space into the show's official anniversary celebration, where the festivities continued through the night on the pink-illuminated dance floor equipped with a giant disco ball and resident DJs.
    — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But unfortunately, this year’s festivities, which concluded on Monday, were not without incident.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of festivity
Noun
  • 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
  • Kikuko sometimes mistook Shigejiro’s cheerfulness for egoism owing to the distortions produced by her illness.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • Over the course of several hours, a kaleidoscopic array of appetizers, mains and desserts were paraded out for the hundreds of guests wearing their Sunday finery.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There’s no better way to add a jolt of prestige to an aspiring Oscar vehicle than the sight of its stars, bedecked in all their finery, arriving on the Lido by water taxi in the manner of conquering heroes.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of finery
Noun
  • Novak Djokovic, who won the 2011 men’s title, wore a FDNY hat during his walk-out and post-match celebration, to honor first responders.
    — Lukas Weese, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Two decades later, the IDF would storm Palestinian community centers, confiscating flags and shutting down celebrations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of celebration
Noun
  • The next day, JT showed a snippet of his viral cameo that had everyone and their mother throwing up their phones in glee.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Other, less cartoonish responses have lingered on Cambridge’s comparable glee in brandishing Arday in the first place.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • What an exciting opportunity to make the finale pop by putting everyone in fun costumes.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The family matriarch gained recognition in the aughts as the stylist, costume designer, and stage-mom for Destiny’s Child.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gaiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaiety. Accessed 13 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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shofar

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All