as in jolly
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor the traditional depiction of Santa Claus as a rotund man with merry, twinkling blue eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective merry differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of merry are blithe, jocund, jolly, and jovial. While all these words mean "showing high spirits or lightheartedness," merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

When can blithe be used instead of merry?

The synonyms blithe and merry are sometimes interchangeable, but blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

When could jocund be used to replace merry?

Although the words jocund and merry have much in common, jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

In what contexts can jolly take the place of merry?

The words jolly and merry are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

When is it sensible to use jovial instead of merry?

While in some cases nearly identical to merry, jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

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 merry 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 Afterwards, the trap would have released the insect, to go on their merry way. Michael Irving, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025 Personal differences, school commitments, and career opportunities threaten to permanently break up the merry band of role-players. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2025 The merry month of May used to be an outlier on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre calendar, and any artist that dared book past September tempted the wrath of show-stopping cold and snow. John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for merry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merry
Adjective
  • Crosby released a number of tunes throughout his career that were made perfectly for the jolliest time of the year, and his wins are still coming his way, even decades after his passing.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Instead of its usual jolly cartoons, the channel began broadcasting footage of Russian military parades accompanied by music of the Russian nationalist singer Oleg Gazmanov.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • Use these cheerful, summery spoons to slather jam onto scones or Nutella into crepes.
    Oset Babür-Winter, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2025
  • Only cheerful younger son Einstein (Evan Ellison), an eccentric, prophetically named genius who has decided to become a champion pole-vaulter, seems happy to see him.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Merry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merry. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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