celebrate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
celebrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
celebrated,
past participle, past
-
celebrating
present participle
-
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)
-
celebrates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
celebrated,
past participle, past
-
celebrating
present participle
-
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
Derived Forms
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celebraternoun
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celebrationnoun
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celebratornoun
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precelebrateverb
-
recelebrateverb
-
celebrativeadjective
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celebratoryadjective
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uncelebratingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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celebratesimple
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celebratessimple
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have celebratedperfect
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has celebratedperfect
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am celebratingprogressive
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are celebratingprogressive
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is celebratingprogressive
-
have been celebratingperfect progressive
-
has been celebratingperfect progressive
Past
-
celebratedsimple
-
had celebratedperfect
-
was celebratingprogressive
-
were celebratingprogressive
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had been celebratingperfect progressive
Future
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; see -ate 1
Explanation
To celebrate means to mark a special day, event, or holiday. You might celebrate a birthday, a religious holiday, or even the anniversary of a famous battle. Use celebrate for festive, happy occasions. If the special day, event, or holiday is more solemn or introspective, a verb like observe is often used. After we observe Memorial Day, we look forward to celebrating the Fourth of July. The verb can also mean to honor or praise — "The book celebrated the life of the actress who had given so much to worthy causes."
Vocabulary lists containing celebrate
Academy Awards, List 2
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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:
Amid the gloom, one local nonprofit group is working to celebrate iconic cartoons to support the animators of today — and remind people of the joy of animation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"Of course we should celebrate and promote the Welsh language, and I welcome efforts to see it reach audiences across the world," Finch-Saunders said.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Her second album, “Bewitched,” was soon to be released and she wanted to do something big to celebrate it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
When Denise Aiyedatiwa purchased a vacation to celebrate her new job, she had no idea where she would be going.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Commander Yevdokia Bershanskaya had planned a party to celebrate.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
His visit Tuesday came during the community’s annual Nisei Week festival, which celebrates Japanese American culture and history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
The Taliban government celebrates five years of ruling Afghanistan on Saturday, with the authorities hailing their country's "freedom" and security, while critics decry tightening restrictions in all areas of daily life.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Talarico’s Christianity celebrates pluralism, affirms LGBTQ+ individuals and believes God transcends all partisan divisions.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Combining preserved midcentury architecture, sustainable living practices, and an abundance of outdoor amenities, the Northridge property offers buyers a home that celebrates both California’s design heritage and a more intentional way of living.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Every spring, our synagogue celebrates the story of Esther.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
The moment sparked jubilation among Bangladesh players and staff as they celebrated arguably their greatest victory in 26 years of competing in Test cricket.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
When the country's new president Abelardo de la Espriella took office August 7, the news was celebrated by US President Donald Trump, who backed the flamboyant right-winger's candidacy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
The Native American Afro-Latina actor said the cultural nuances brought by the diverse cast were celebrated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Barcelona’s most celebrated landmark, drawing about five million annual visitors, evokes the Gothic tradition in which it is rooted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
He went on to have a celebrated career as a Soviet intelligence instructor and was sought after as an expert on Western espionage tactics.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae are pictured on the Financial Times' front page attending a circus performance celebrating the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
We are all of us, in short, “Musical Bodies,” the title and subject of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s rousing exhibition celebrating the creative and aesthetic realm where music, art, and global cultures meet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
“Phantasm” director Don Coscarelli also shared news of his longtime collaborator’s death on Facebook, celebrating Bannister’s work on the horror films.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Cuba's Communist Party has spent the week celebrating the late revolutionary leader with exhibitions, concerts and conferences.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
They were celebrating in the kitchen of every farmhouse for fifty miles.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
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.
