celebrate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities.
to celebrate Christmas; to celebrate the success of a new play.
- Synonyms:
- solemnize, commemorate
-
to make known publicly; proclaim.
The newspaper celebrated the end of the war in red headlines.
-
to praise widely or to present to widespread and favorable public notice, as through newspapers or novels.
a novel celebrating the joys of marriage; the countryside celebrated in the novels of Hardy.
-
to perform with appropriate rites and ceremonies; solemnize.
to celebrate a marriage.
verb (used without object)
-
to observe a day or commemorate an event with ceremonies or festivities.
-
to perform a religious ceremony, especially Mass or the Lord's Supper.
-
to have or participate in a party, drinking spree, or uninhibited good time.
You look like you were up celebrating all night.
verb
-
to rejoice in or have special festivities to mark (a happy day, event, etc)
-
(tr) to observe (a birthday, anniversary, etc)
she celebrates her ninetieth birthday next month
-
(tr) to perform (a solemn or religious ceremony), esp to officiate at (Mass)
-
(tr) to praise publicly; proclaim
Other Word Forms
- celebrater noun
- celebration noun
- celebrative adjective
- celebrator noun
- celebratory adjective
- precelebrate verb
- recelebrate verb
- uncelebrating adjective
Etymology
Origin of celebrate
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin celebrātus, past participle of celebrāre “to solemnize, celebrate, honor,” equivalent to celebr- (stem of celeber ) “often repeated, famous” + -ātus past participle suffix; -ate 1
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.
We have as yet too little to celebrate.
From Los Angeles Times
Companies can mandate and measure AI use but driving adoption tends to happen by encouraging a culture of experimentation that celebrates wins and failures.
The other may end up celebrating with a hip-hop legend at some point instead.
From Los Angeles Times
The tall paceman bowled Brook with a yorker next ball, but did not celebrate wildly -- instead he immediately went to congratulate the England captain in a superb show of cricket sportmanship.
From Barron's
Influenced by Christianity, Judaism and other belief systems, Alawites celebrate Christmas, have no dietary restrictions and don’t require women to wear hijab, or head coverings.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
