merrymaking

noun

ˈmer-ē-ˌmā-kiŋ How to pronounce merrymaking (audio)
Definition of merrymakingnext
as in festivity
joyful or festive activity Christmas Eve is always an occasion of much merrymaking at our home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 merrymaking Museums also make for a great break from holiday-merrymaking. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025 Their everlasting merrymaking might seem warm and fuzzy at first glance, but in truth, there is a gloomy undercurrent to their existence, hiding just beneath the surface. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 25 May 2025 In fact, ancient Romans celebrated the day with a fertility festival with animal sacrifices and drunken merrymaking. — Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 For the Ryman show, that bit of merrymaking fell to Crow, Larkin Poe and Tuttle as Starr sang and drummed. — Nancy Kruh, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for merrymaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merrymaking
  1. festivity
  2. celebration
  3. revelry
  4. merriment
  5. jollity
  6. rejoicing
Noun
  • Uniqlo didn’t reveal if its South Florida opening festivities would replicate the Big Apple’s driving and harmonious vibes, but there’s certainly room.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Simmons spoke publicly for the first time since signing with the Sacramento Kings as part of media day festivities Monday at the team’s Golden 1 Center practice facility, where the Kings will open training camp Tuesday.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of festivity
Noun
  • At a small celebration dinner in San Francisco after the deal closed, Basu Trivedi was stunned by their choice of lodging.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • However, the holiday season tends to see a spike each year as people congregate for parties, celebrations and gatherings.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebration
Noun
  • He was asked in the postgame revelry about the Chiefs’ 3-0 start after finishing 6-11 last season.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Here, with so many cities, brewpubs and restaurants embracing this tradition, the revelry goes on for six weeks, from mid-September right up to Halloween.
    — Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of revelry
Noun
  • Neighbors had gathered for an afternoon of merriment, complete with a barbecue, a sweets station, and three bouncy castles.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • While the rest of the gang — including Chuckie and twins Phil and Lil — seek nothing more than playtime merriment and escape into ludicrously detailed fantasies, Angelica will stop at nothing to put their fun to an end.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of merriment
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
Noun
  • Late Night With Seth Meyers is back, and there was much rejoicing.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Wishing you a weekend of fresh pages, warm hearths, and analog rejoicing.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejoicing

Browse Nearby Words

merrymakers
merrymaking
mesa
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Merrymaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merrymaking. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All