gala

noun

ˈgā-lə How to pronounce gala (audio)
Definition of galanext
as in celebration
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something attended the gala celebrating the reopening of the museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 gala The Motown Museum, based in Detroit, said Bradford Hobbs often attended its exhibit openings, Founder's Day celebrations and galas. — CBS News, 22 Aug. 2026 In the final gala, 19 participants competed in two rounds of swimsuit and evening gown presentations and in two elimination question rounds. — Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 Last October, Becky spoke with PEOPLE at a gala celebrating her honor as one of the world’s most influential rising stars in the 2025 TIME100 Next issue. — Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 And on Wednesday, the Pacific Palisades Farmers Market returned home to the Village with its own gala reopening, hosted by nonprofit Raw Inspiration, which has organized the market since 2000. — Teresa Liu, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gala
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gala
  1. celebration
  2. festival
  3. festivity
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
  • 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
  • In lieu of festivities, tens of thousands of people took to the streets Wednesday across Spain to protest the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, demanding solutions and blaming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his government's handling of it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Wedding festivities took place over four days and began in a city hundreds of miles away, to which my wife and I traveled.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of festivity

Browse Nearby Words

gal
gala
galactic
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Cite this Entry

“Gala.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gala. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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