merry

adjective

mer·​ry ˈmer-ē How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rē
merrier; merriest
1
: full of gaiety or high spirits : mirthful
eat, drink, and be merry
2
: marked by festivity or gaiety
a merry holiday time
3
: quick, brisk
a merry pace
4
archaic : giving pleasure : delightful
merrily
ˈmer-ə-lē How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rə-
adverb
merriness
ˈmer-ē-nəs How to pronounce merry (audio)
ˈme-rē-
noun
Choose the Right Synonym for merry

merry, blithe, jocund, jovial, jolly mean showing high spirits or lightheartedness.

merry suggests cheerful, joyous, uninhibited enjoyment of frolic or festivity.

a merry group of revelers

blithe suggests carefree, innocent, or even heedless gaiety.

arrived late in his usual blithe way

jocund stresses elation and exhilaration of spirits.

singing, dancing, and jocund feasting

jovial suggests the stimulation of conviviality and good fellowship.

dinner put them in a jovial mood

jolly suggests high spirits expressed in laughing, bantering, and jesting.

our jolly host enlivened the party

Examples of merry in a Sentence

Let's eat, drink, and be merry! They sang a merry little song.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The company is also holding dinners featuring local chefs who incorporate cacao into their meals, a day of merry crafts-making and a festive holiday market with chocolatiers and foragers, among other chocolate-centric things. Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 Krampus Nacht attendees will have the opportunity to drink, be merry and throw axes in a series of challenges—after some practice with a professional. Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 21 Oct. 2024 All his kills are righteous, all his women are gorgeous, all his men are merry. Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2024 Any aware adult knew of the trick and would stop the car, go to the offending hubcap, take it off, dump out the rocks and pebbles, put the hubcap back on, and be on their merry way. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for merry 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mery, from Old English myrge, merge; akin to Old High German murg short — more at brief

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of merry was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near merry

Cite this Entry

“Merry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/merry. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

merry

adjective
mer·​ry ˈmer-ē How to pronounce merry (audio)
merrier; merriest
1
: full of good humor and good spirits : mirthful
2
: marked by gaiety or festivity
a merry Christmas
merrily adverb
merriness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on merry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!