1
as in glee
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter
their unexpected merriment made him nervously inquire as to the reason for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in festivity
joyful or festive activity
the wedding reception merriment lasted long into the night
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 merriment
The games spot and brewery celebrated seven years with a farewell bash replete with games, beer and merriment.
—
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
When the citrus trees come alive with ripe fruit in December, join in the merriment at the Orange Festival.
—Kristy Christiansen, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
After you're done, keep the merriment going with the sequel.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Afterward, there are gifts for children, dreidel games, yummy chocolate gelt, and other merriment.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merriment
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
When the citrus trees come alive with ripe fruit in December, join in the merriment at the Orange Festival.
—Kristy Christiansen, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
After you're done, keep the merriment going with the sequel.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Afterward, there are gifts for children, dreidel games, yummy chocolate gelt, and other merriment.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merriment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merriment
Noun
-
The shout of glee at the news that Christopher Kane is the new creative director at Mulberry was practically audible across London this morning.—
Sarah Mower,
Vogue,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Sounds like a Sean Payton guy, particularly considering his glee in talking pass-protection.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Seeded first in this NCAA regional and ranked second overall nationally behind 37-0 Connecticut, UCLA muscled past Minnesota 80-56 to start the festivities as Sacramento hosted a women’s tournament for the first time since 2010.—
Joe Davidson
March 27,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Hailing from Marinduque Island is the Moriones Festival, one of the oldest and most revered ecclesiastical festivities in the Philippines.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lastly, yellow tulips symbolize cheerfulness, happiness, and optimism.—
Michelle Mastro,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2026
-
His cheerfulness and laughter often brought strength and refreshment to me in difficult times.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pakistani weddings are often elaborate, multi-day celebrations that place strong emphasis on visual storytelling, color and cultural symbolism.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even so, the celebration is limited after going without pay for 45 days during this shutdown.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Just for Fun Driven largely by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, a wave of playful merrymaking that embraces maximalism, humor, and individuality is on the rise, Michaels reports.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Museums also make for a great break from holiday-merrymaking.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Or embrace a tight playoff race and cheer for Team Chaos.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Fittingly, the summit’s resemblance to summer camp fostered a mood of compulsory cheer.—
Gaby Del Valle,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Winston Peacock’s Ghost of Christmas Present is especially winning with decidedly John Belushi-esque jollity.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The two no longer spar on air, so expect mirth rather than rancor at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
-
From arena-filling funnymen to big-name package tours, there will be plenty of mirth and mayhem in local venues.—
Bob Mehr,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Merriment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merriment. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
