festivity

noun

fe-ˈsti-və-tē How to pronounce festivity (audio)
Definition of festivitynext
1
as in cheerfulness
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter rather than mourn our friend's death we celebrated his life, and his memorial service was more notable for its festivity than its funereal gloom

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2
as in celebration
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something year-long festivities will mark the 300th anniversary of the city's founding

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3
as in merrymaking
joyful or festive activity in keeping with their habit of doing everything in a big way, the couple's wedding will entail a whole weekend of festivity

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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 festivity The festivities began on Thursday evening with an intimate rehearsal dinner for family and the wedding party at Chateâu d’Estoublon. — Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 The Spanish Armed Forces military parade is a staple of the festivities, and is traditionally followed by a reception hosting the country’s most notable leaders at the Royal Palace in Madrid. — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 For some reason, politics is always on parade at the annual festivities celebrating Italian-American heritage. — Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Monday’s festivities, which will kick off the city's fall celebration, will also include a special appearance by pumpkin carver Mike Valladao. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for festivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivity
  1. cheerfulness
  2. celebration
  3. merrymaking
  4. glee
  5. festival
  6. revelry
  7. cheer
  8. merriment
Noun
  • Leaders, in particular, have the power to shift the mood of their teams, not by pretending everything is fine or manufacturing cheerfulness but through tone, body language, and small actions.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The service Professionalism comes with genuine warmth, cheerfulness, and a sense of people absolutely loving their jobs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • The numbers have grown as well, ballooning to around 5,000 during the height of the semiquincentennial celebration.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The farm's latest maze pays tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, combining a fall favorite with a celebration of the singer's music and philanthropy.
    — Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebration
Noun
  • Nor did great merrymaking surround its 2001 move to pioneer quantitative easing.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Once ground was completely covered with shards of tableware, folks journeyed from their seats into the center of the room for more dancing and merrymaking.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Definition of merrymaking
Noun
  • Detractors attacked the moment with glee, but that viewpoint ends up being shortsighted.
    — Ken Makin, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The prospect of a flagship GOP state turning blue doesn't just fill Democrats with glee and Republicans with alarm.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • Hundreds had gathered at the arena for a festival celebrating horse racing and Mexican culture.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The two-day music festival runs through early Sunday morning and was expecting about 40,000 fans each day.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of festival
Noun
  • Space Afrika bring in slow-moving and often gorgeous layers of double bass, violin, harp, saxophone, and piano to exhume the revelry, grief, and chaos of their inner worlds.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of revelry
Noun
  • The piercing screams and cheers of thrill seekers clashed with blaring music and barkers calling crowds to their games.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • This annual tradition provides live performances and holiday cheer while promoting donations to community food pantries.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheer
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

Browse Nearby Words

festivities
festivity
festoon
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Cite this Entry

“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivity. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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