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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
About 90 people attended the festivities to toast the 175th anniversaries of both schools this year.
—
Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Serve it as an appetizer with crostinis or over a bed of arugula for your Derby festivities.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
The draft’s first round was conducted on Thursday, Rounds 2-3 took place Friday and Rounds 4-7 wrapped up this year’s festivities in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026
Anais and her mom Angie came home to the partial collapse after taking in the festivities at the NFL draft.
—Lauren Linder, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festivity
Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Serve it as an appetizer with crostinis or over a bed of arugula for your Derby festivities.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
The draft’s first round was conducted on Thursday, Rounds 2-3 took place Friday and Rounds 4-7 wrapped up this year’s festivities in Pittsburgh on Saturday.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026
Anais and her mom Angie came home to the partial collapse after taking in the festivities at the NFL draft.
—Lauren Linder, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for festivity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festivity
Noun
-
Half critic, half concierge, Edwards’ round-ups are generally distinguished by a cheerfulness.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As a teen-ager listening to folk music in London pubs, I’d been attracted to the instrument’s nimble, tinkling cheerfulness, its being on the margins, not too demanding, perhaps.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kate Perez The royal visit is part of the celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of the United States.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Of course, that’s probably because Boldy blacked out during his own celebration.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Just for Fun Driven largely by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, a wave of playful merrymaking that embraces maximalism, humor, and individuality is on the rise, Michaels reports.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Museums also make for a great break from holiday-merrymaking.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
New York with aplomb, expressing glee about the network being able to keep the project a secret.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Laptop twee tries to pretend those simpler times are accessible, which makes for exaggerated, juvenile glee—a dishonest document of 2026, but a wildly appealing one.—
Samuel Hyland,
Pitchfork,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the same way that SXSW emerged in the late ’80s to help solidify an infrastructure to support independent musicians, and a larger music festival ecosystem followed, Jupiter Festival Miami aims to pave the way for creators to be taken seriously as the next wave of cultural curators.—
Caitlin White,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Established in 2010 by Marissa Amoni, Jenn Byrne, Lisa Gloria and Nate Miller, the festival focuses on showcasing only local artists living within 30 miles of Aurora, the release said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The unique revelry was appropriate for the rising star who has made headlines by angering veterans with aggressive moves.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The post-dinner revelry has also given us iconic moments over the years, like Diana dancing with John Travolta in 1985.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Their laughs and chatter fill the countryside and one another’s hearts, the merriment binding them all together like caterpillars in one big cocoon.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Lanie breaks into the merriment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The last high school cheers are here.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Whether the cheers for Domingo will translate into redemption remains to be seen.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Festivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festivity. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
