revelry
Americannoun
-
revelries
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of revelry
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at revel, -ry
Explanation
Revelry is a wild, fun time. If you enjoy the revelry of a New Year's Eve party, you might pay for partying hard the next day. The noun revelry means merrymaking, but because it comes from the French word reveler meaning to rebel, its tone indicates carousing or noisy partying. It's not your grandparents' tame, sedate cocktail party: revelry is a full-throttle festive gathering, where people outwardly enjoy themselves. In fact, a wild party was once called a "revel," though you don't hear that term used much today.
Vocabulary lists containing revelry
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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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.
See Examples For:
But Abbie, 30, said she recognised the way the industry was going, with many people turning their backs on clubbing and late-night revelry.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
But there has been a dark side to the revelry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
The beauty of this show is that Waters and his producers focused on history’s unsung heroes or the lesser-known feats of famous ones with an infectious, besotted revelry that frequently inspired further research.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026
Paris prepared a hero's welcome for Paris Saint-Germain players who won their second consecutive Champions League title with celebrations planned in the capital under heavy security after a night of revelry marred by unrest.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
As evening drew in, and moths began to swoop under the canopy, now lit with floating golden lanterns, the revelry became more and more uncontained.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Nothing stops a virus or contagious bacteria is its tracks like keeping isolated — even if it means missing out on holiday revelries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2024
Instead, he has seen a 100% increase in bookings for in-person events, though they are much smaller than the 5,000-person revelries he often staged before the pandemic.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 14, 2022
Puritan efforts to crack down on Christmas revelries in England before 1620 had little impact.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2020
The coronavirus may have silenced traditional revelries for the Fourth of July, but officials and others still aim to celebrate the country’s birthday using creativity, technology and safety.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 2, 2020
Sir Roderic, the last of the baronets to die, sings a spectral song about the ghostly revelries by night.
From The Secrets of a Savoyard by Henry A. Lytton
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.
