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Meaning & use

merry

adjective·Everydayold-fashioned

Last updated

UK/ˈmeri/
US/ˈmeri/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableold-fashionedliterary

    Cheerful and happy, often in a laughing, festive way.

    Grammar: Gradable: merry, merrier, merriest; used before a noun or after be.

    Patterns

    • a merry laugh

    The merry crowd sang carols in the square.

    She had a merry laugh that made everyone smile.

    It was a merry party, full of music and food.

  2. adjectivefixed phrase

    Used in greetings for a festive holiday, especially Christmas.

    Grammar: Used in fixed greetings: Merry Christmas.

    Patterns

    • Merry Christmas

    We wished our neighbors a merry Christmas.

    Merry Christmas, everyone!

    The card said 'Merry Christmas and a happy New Year'.

  3. adjectiveafter a verbinformalBritishhumorous

    Slightly drunk and in a good mood.

    Grammar: Informal and mostly British: get merry, feel merry.

    Patterns

    • get merry

    After two glasses of wine, he was a little merry.

    The guests grew merry as the evening went on.

    She was pleasantly merry by the end of the wedding.

Word forms

comparativemerrier
superlativemerriest

Common combinations

Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
merry laugh
A merry laugh came from the kitchen.
the more the merrier
Bring your friends along; the more the merrier.
merry band
A merry band of travelers arrived at the inn.
merry dance
The long search led us on a merry dance.

Synonyms and how they differ

cheerful
Cheerful is the everyday word and works in any setting, while merry sounds festive and a little old-fashioned.
jolly
Jolly suggests round, good-humored fun and can describe a person, unlike merry which is more about mood.
jovial
Jovial describes a friendly, good-humored manner, usually of an older man.
festive
Festive describes the holiday atmosphere, not a person's mood.

Opposites

gloomysadmiserable

Word family

merriment noun
cheerful fun and laughter
merrily adverb
in a cheerful way
merriness noun
the state of being merry, rare
merry-go-round noun
a fairground ride that spins

Commonly confused: merry or marry? merry or Mary?

merry vs marry

Marry is a verb meaning to wed someone; merry means cheerful. Many accents pronounce them the same.

merry vs Mary

Mary is a given name that often sounds the same as merry.

Practice

Which greeting is correct for the holiday?

Make it your own

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