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Synonyms

gaiety

American  
[gey-i-tee] / ˈgeɪ ɪ ti /
Or gayety

noun

plural

gaieties
  1. the state of being joyous, vivacious, or cheerful.

    Synonyms:
    joviality, cheerfulness, vivacity, hilarity, sportiveness, liveliness, joyousness, jollity, glee, mirth, merriment
    Antonyms:
    sadness
  2. Often gaieties. merrymaking or festivity.

    the gaieties of the New Year season.

  3. showiness; finery.

    gaiety of dress.

    Synonyms:
    gaudiness, flashiness, glitter, brilliance

gaiety British  
/ ˈɡeɪətɪ /

noun

  1. the state or condition of being merry, bright, or lively

  2. festivity; merrymaking

"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

Other Word Forms

  • supergaiety noun

Etymology

Origin of gaiety

1625–35; < French gaieté, equivalent to gai gay + -té -ty 2

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.

The general gaiety of the show doesn’t mean the photos here are slight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Just seven blocks over and five blocks up from where the shell casings hit the sidewalk, they gathered for gaiety in a glitzy ballroom.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2025

Beneath the gaiety and carousing ran an undercurrent of anguish: The country remains locked in a ferocious war with Russia.

From Washington Times • Sep. 15, 2023

The staging strenuously strives to leave an impression of fun in capital letters, but the forced gaiety creates quite a racket.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2023

In here, we had all we needed for gaiety.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin