1
as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
an especially jolly crowd of well-wishers at their wedding reception
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pleasant
giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses
we always have a jolly time at their seaside cottage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in very
to a great degree
I jolly well agree that you did the right thing has become a jolly careful driver since his recent accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to joke
to make jokes
spent their nights around the campfire good-naturedly jollying and telling scary stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jolly
Ty Gaskins, WWD, 26 Dec. 2024
As the jolliest day of the year inches closer, the sibling group breaks into the top 10 on a handful of tallies, as both their singles and at least one album are on the rise.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
Demi Moore is having a jolly good time with her family this holiday season!
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
The Economist, 21 Sep. 2019
So Watt sets out to convince them that the real killer is Peter Manuel by — wait for it! — taking him out on a bender and jollying him into a confession.
—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times, 19 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for jolly
Adjective
The shiny, vinyl-like fabric gave the look a modern, sporty edge, tying it back to the game-day setting.
Mahomes and Kelce paired the festive jolly coats with their red and white Chiefs uniforms, blending seamlessly with the football team’s signature colors.
—Ty Gaskins, WWD, 26 Dec. 2024
As the jolliest day of the year inches closer, the sibling group breaks into the top 10 on a handful of tallies, as both their singles and at least one album are on the rise.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Now would be a good time to think about her bucket list, suggests a jolly co-worker (Rosa Malagueta), who coaxes out of Tereza her greatest desire: to ride in an airplane.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
Demi Moore is having a jolly good time with her family this holiday season!
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
As to the political will needed to jolly the process along, and arrange payment for those parts of the programme that will not pay for themselves, this can push both ways.
—The Economist, 21 Sep. 2019
So Watt sets out to convince them that the real killer is Peter Manuel by — wait for it! — taking him out on a bender and jollying him into a confession.
—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times, 19 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for jolly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolly
Adjective
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Women deserve their own places at the top, and if that means more women are founding companies, the more, the merrier.—
Liz Elting,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Personal differences, school commitments, and career opportunities threaten to permanently break up the merry band of role-players.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Exploring ancient hot spots like Delphi, ancient Epidaurus, and Olympia on foot is much more pleasant in spring temperatures averaging from the 60s to the high 70s.—
Helen Iatrou,
AFAR Media,
9 Apr. 2025
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Some images are pleasant, while others are painful and heart-wrenching to produce.—
The Pham,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Peters returns for the Manhattan Theatre Club’s fresh, surprising and very special Broadway production, following its run in Los Angeles.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
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Fluke is a very tender fish with a lot of sweetness.—
CAROLE KOTKIN,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The scene cuts to a confessional, where the Good American founder jokes that Scott should have been more careful while filming the past scene.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
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My family often jokes that my devotion to Bruce and his music borders on obsession.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Original price: $29.99 This festive pastel tower of eggs is a standout centerpiece for spring.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Each rabbit holds a festive springtime flower in a different pose that can be placed together or individually around the home.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Here are a few delightful spring activities to try in the next few weeks, from spotting migrant birds in your backyard to building your own container garden.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
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For the 19th-century Romantics, sublime referred not to something delightful—as it’s commonly used now— but to a sense of awe in nature inseparable from terror or danger.—
Chloe Berge,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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However, experts maintain that voter fraud remains extremely rare, with studies showing minimal evidence of noncitizen voting.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
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Sudden hearing loss can be caused by proximity to an extremely loud sound like an explosion.—
Uma Raja,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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To Graydon Carter, a founder and coeditor of Air Mail and former editor of Vanity Fair, all of this seems terribly unfair.—
Nathan King,
Architectural Digest,
17 Apr. 2025
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Something would have to go terribly wrong for the Yankees to give up on the 2025 season.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jolly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolly. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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