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
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Recent Examples of festivity
For its 86th summer season, Del Mar has concocted a schedule filled with food-centric festivities, sips, handicapping and tips, blended in with world-class thoroughbred racing.
—
Kelley Carlson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025
Earlier on Friday, Meghan took to the Instagram account of her lifestyle brand As Ever to show more of her Fourth of July festivities.
—Sean Mandell, People.com, 4 July 2025
Local organizers like Wujek hope this weekend’s all-star festivities encourage more people to check out the sport.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
The new Whole Foods grocery store in downtown St. Charles is officially open, with dozens of customers gathering Wednesday morning for the festivities.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for festivity
Kelley Carlson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025
Earlier on Friday, Meghan took to the Instagram account of her lifestyle brand As Ever to show more of her Fourth of July festivities.
—Sean Mandell, People.com, 4 July 2025
Local organizers like Wujek hope this weekend’s all-star festivities encourage more people to check out the sport.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
The new Whole Foods grocery store in downtown St. Charles is officially open, with dozens of customers gathering Wednesday morning for the festivities.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for festivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivity
Noun
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Fans have already started expressing their glee over the news on social media.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
11 June 2025
-
As the country’s friends have looked on in horror and its rivals have watched with glee, the United States has gone from indispensable to insufferable.—
KORI SCHAKE,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
Noun
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This show will cap off a short festival run Tomlinson went on this summer in Europe and India.—
Nicholas Kobe,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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The birthday festivities include a wide range of events, from neighborhood festivals, the closure of the A10 ring road and a grand parade of tall ships culminating in a big party on the actual anniversary date of October 27, 2025.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Noun
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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
-
Alternatively, the Perry Lane Hotel, as well as the brand-new, Ann Savannah, will put you in the heart of the merrymaking.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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When the show promptly appeared on the bar’s multiple TV screens at 8 p.m., a thunderous roar of cheers exploded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
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Age proved no object for Philadelphia, which banked on the league’s best (and healthiest) rotation, led by Zack Wheeler, and the rabid cheers of partisan fans at Citizens Bank Park.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The teams first played each other in football in 1884, but in 1888, Lehigh fans reportedly burned down the makeshift bleachers at the stadium in the postgame revelry of a win (a pre-Lafayette bonfire became a Lehigh tradition).—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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When the group eventually made it to the top, the Sherpas celebrated, but Siffredi was exhausted from the 12-hour climb and didn’t celebrate in the revelry, according to TransWorld Snowboarding, as his mission wasn’t finished: summiting wasn’t the goal, snowboarding down the Hornbein Couloir was.—
Mark Gray,
People.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
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There’s no shortage of Christmas culinary merriment for people heading to Orlando during December to ring in the New Year or celebrate the season.—
Caitlin Palumbo,
Forbes,
13 Dec. 2024
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That merriment includes exploring some of the secluded isles on the Tuscan coastline.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
10 May 2025
Noun
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The free-living, hard-drinking Brett uses wit and jollity to mask her inner desperation.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
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Some years at Cannes, the Med’s most effervescent seasonal kickoff, the bubbles and spice of the social froth provide the jollity.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
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With the Red Army closing in, such gatherings, expressions of a desperate gaiety, a fin d’une époque efflorescence, weren’t rare.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
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With the Red Army closing in, such gatherings, expressions of a desperate gaiety, a fin d’une époque efflorescence, weren’t rare.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivity. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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