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 The festivities also included birthday cake, ice cream and a martini, as well as a video capturing the moments before Lipa blew out her candles. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026 That was Day One of the festivities, which also took place on Saturday and Sunday. — Shi Bradley, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Days later, the WNBA’s biggest players and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert were available all weekend in Chicago for All-Star festivities. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 There were lots of children and the community would celebrate festivities like the Fourth of July together. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 25 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
  • Jake was at Los Angeles’ Union Station for a celebration of life event for a friend when his sister called.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The shows are billed as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of debut LP Reasonable Doubt, which kicked off the 56-year-old’s illustrious career in 1996.
    — Sophie Williams, Billboard, 26 Aug. 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
  • Persistent cheers emanated from outside the locker room, where kids flanked the ramp to see the Ravens take the practice field.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But not before the former cheerleader caught a pass from Tebow and immediately did a split, drawing cheers from her favorite quarterback.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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