wassail 1 of 2

noun

ˈwä-səl How to pronounce wassail (audio)
Definition of wassailnext
as in drunk
a bout of prolonged or excessive drinking woke up with a terrible headache from a wild wassail the night before

Synonyms & Similar Words

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wassail

2 of 2

verb

as in to drink
to take part in drunken revelry the knights feasted and wassailed for three days after the battlefield victory

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 wassail
Noun
Enjoy Harvest Cider, special wassail cocktails, live music, costume contest and the Blessing of the Trees. — Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 14 Jan. 2024 One of the most traditional holiday drinks of them all, wintertime wassail gets a contemporary update in this flavorful drink recipe. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023 Each glass of this nonalcoholic wassail is garnished with an apple slice and cinnamon stick. — Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2023
Verb
Some speculate that wassailing predates Christianity in the region; others note its association with the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 24 Dec. 2025 Image Image In the village of Midsomer Norton, about 50 miles away, 100 people or so turned out for a community event to wassail three small apple trees in the local park. — Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025 Reisinger's Apple Country, located in Watkins Glen on Seneca Lake, also has a wassailing event on the horizon. — Jennifer Nalewicki, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Jan. 2018 There was toasting and wassailing all around And cinnamon sticks in yule logs were wrapped and bound. — Marc Bona, cleveland.com, 26 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wassail
  1. drunk
  2. drink
  3. spree
  4. binge
  5. carouse
Noun
  • Nothing that would actually stop a person, a child, a wheelchair or a stumbling drunk from going straight into the water.
    — Joseph V. Sakran, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Then she, once again, intimates that Shannon is a drunk, which makes Shannon storm off into the night.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk
Verb
  • Most are men between the ages of 18 and 49, without a college degree, earning less than $50,000 a year, less religious than average, and likely to also drink alcohol.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Food and drink Three meals a day—included in the rate, except for alcohol—are served in the main lodge, with every group being assigned the same table during their stay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of drink
Noun
  • Vinson hit Bunch for a 34-yard TD strike late in the second quarter to end Maine South’s scoring spree.
    — Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • After a hiring spree this year, the labor market has shown some signs of cooling.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of spree
Verb
  • How to catch up on 'Tulsa King' All three seasons are currently available to binge on Paramount+.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There’s nothing better than sitting on the couch to binge your favorite TV show.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of binge
Verb
  • Three sitting rooms are complemented by a further three members’ social spaces for carousing in, concealed behind a subtle screen (here, DJs including Goldierocks make appearances, and mobile snaps are banned; staff politely place a sticker over mobile camera lenses).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
  • Bethany takes the explosive event as a sign to reunite with her old girlfriend Nel (Lena Góra), and carouse across lofts, clubs, and back alleys, leaving her erstwhile partner stranded.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of carouse

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waspishness
wassail
wassailed
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Cite this Entry

“Wassail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wassail. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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