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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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 festivity Fritz, Tiafoe and Reilly Opelka were part of the wedding party, while others at the festivities included Ethan Quinn, John Isner, Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson. — Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 At the Sugar Bowl in 2019, Bevo broke away from his handlers and escaped, charging at Uga during the pregame festivities. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 The festivities have included shows in New York City, and upcoming gigs in Los Angeles, Paris, and London, a series of pop-up events and activations, and even a run of commemorative library cards with the Brooklyn Public Library system. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026 Summer might be coming to a close, but the Oktoberfest festivities are just beginning. — Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Aug. 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
  • 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
  • Kikuko sometimes mistook Shigejiro’s cheerfulness for egoism owing to the distortions produced by her illness.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness
Noun
  • Both posed with the actor's granddaughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, who first met Fadem at another Keaton celebration ten years ago in Muskegon, Mich.
    — Brian Bull, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The eveningwear collection is designed for red carpets, galas, black-tie celebrations and other memorable occasions.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 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
  • The next day, JT showed a snippet of his viral cameo that had everyone and their mother throwing up their phones in glee.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Other, less cartoonish responses have lingered on Cambridge’s comparable glee in brandishing Arday in the first place.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of glee
Noun
  • The girl group had to bow out of Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival August 27 after Megan Skiendiel sprained her ankle.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The one-day festival, which raised $10 million for nonprofits supporting women and girls, arrives just weeks before Rodrigo launches her Unraveled Tour.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of festival
Noun
  • Some come for the high-octane DJs at Shellona or the all-day revelry of Nikki Beach; others swear by the legendary glamour of Le Club 55 or the festive energy of Casa Amor.
    — Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Fortunately for us, there are plenty of ways to mix the two this weekend — from spa deals and rum-soaked revelry to a nostalgic hard rock show or a night of stress-busting belly laughs.
    — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of revelry
Noun
  • The Gators’ first-year coach will exit the south end zone tunnel Saturday night under the lights — and the microscope — while showered by cheers as a new era of Florida football begins against Florida Atlantic.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Then came a wave of cheers, gasps and laughter as roughly 2,500 people took their shots nearly in unison.
    — Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheer
Noun
  • That community lived out in the woods and was partaking in lots of dancing and merriment — not exactly Maggie’s forte.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Downtown Saluda turns into a walkable outdoor gallery, showcasing pottery, sculpture, paintings, and all manner of other crafts, and it’s all complemented by live music and general merriment.
    — Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 15 July 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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