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Synonyms

merry

1 American  
[mer-ee] / ˈmɛr i /

adjective

merrier, merriest

  1. full of cheerfulness or gaiety; joyous in disposition or spirit.

    a merry little man.
    Synonyms:
    glad, cheery, frolicsome, blithesome, blithe, happy
    Antonyms:
    sad

  2. laughingly happy; mirthful; festively joyous; hilarious.

    a merry time at the party.
    Synonyms:
    gleeful, jovial, jolly
    Antonyms:
    solemn

  3. Archaic. causing happiness; pleasant; delightful.

idioms

  1. make merry,

    1. to be happy or festive.

      The New Year's revelers were making merry in the ballroom.

    2. to make fun of; ridicule.

      The unthinking children made merry of the boy who had no shoes.
Merry 2 American  
[mer-ee] / ˈmɛr i /

noun

  1. a female given name.

merry British  
/ ˈmɛrɪ /

adjective

  1. cheerful; jolly

  2. very funny; hilarious

  3. informal slightly drunk

  4. archaic delightful

  5. to revel; be festive

  6. informal to disturb greatly; disrupt

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Pronunciation

See Mary.

Other Word Forms

  • merrily adverb
  • merriness noun
  • overmerrily adverb
  • overmerriness noun
  • overmerry adjective
  • unmerrily adverb
  • unmerry adjective

Etymology

Origin of merry

First recorded before 900; Middle English meri(e),myrie, murie, Old English myr(i)ge, mer(i)ge “pleasant, delightful”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I do my best, but I can't slow down this merry go round."

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Ms. Cantwell also said the FCC should be able to take its merry time when reviewing satellite applications to ensure they won’t interfere with existing spectrum holders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

And if you had that kind of a mother — or better, if you are that kind of a mother — the merry derangement O’Hara brought to her performances was soul-satisfying.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

Behold, a handy guide to the notable new releases being offered this season, all available to stream now, as well as some new-ish classics guaranteed to leave you feeling merry and bright.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

And she got by with it because she was so round and rosy and merry and, with it all, so fair, in that she cheated everyone the same.

From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.