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
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
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
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 musician also passed away on Christmas Day back in 2016, so the jolly time is also somewhat somber for longtime lovers of the artist.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
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
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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Sister Mary Guadalupe wears rimless glasses, and her eyes are shaped like a merry jack-o’-lantern’s, flat on the bottom with semicircles on top.—
Lawrence Wright,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Most of the week should be pleasant in the Baltimore area, with temperatures hovering in the upper 70s and low 80s before a chance of showers into the weekend.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Apr. 2025
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On bord, the Norse flight attendants were pleasant and service was frequent.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Miami closed to within 85-79 very late in the third, a stretch when Miami briefly gave the Cavs problems with their zone defense.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Press very firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The Whalen video used audio of Hemphill joking about the possibility of activists getting arrested for removing the Pride flag.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Yahoo Sports put out a TikTok of some of the top WNBA Draft prospects before the draft, and fans online joked about Van Lith looking unhappy at the outing.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Get The Recipe 02 of 30 Christmas Eve Punch Warm spices, fresh winter citrus, and festive cranberries make this big-batch cocktail ready for the holiday season.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2025
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Their friendship, and the longevity of working with Neil, made for a festive 7 a.m. start: coffee and makeup/hair in the kitchen while my parents watched our kid.—
Erin Allweiss,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As for that delightful scent McGuinness referenced?—
Victoria Moorhouse,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Inside the delightful Pasadena Showcase House of Design, where maximalism is in.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Though experts have maintained that aviation remains extremely safe, fatal incidents have raised concerns about flying.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Western Conference Finals Potential Opponents: Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors The expectation is that the Thunder will have a clear path to the Western Conference Finals, which will undoubtedly be an extremely tough series.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Our minds, for all their attunement to the nuances of the physical world—the subtle shifts in light, the micro-expressions that move on the faces of other people—are not terribly adept at perceiving those distinctions through the filters of airwaves and screens.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
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This price isn't terribly juicy, hence the recommendation to wager a half-unit instead of a full unit.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jolly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolly. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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