celebratory

adjective

cel·​e·​bra·​to·​ry ˈse-lə-brə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce celebratory (audio)
ˌse-lə-ˈbrā-tə-rē
: of, relating to, expressing, or characterized by celebration
The tone of the article was celebratory.
Both band and audience seemed in celebratory moods, with massive cheers erupting when the lights went out …Emily Burnham
: used or intended for use in celebrating
We went for a celebratory drink after the game.
And you can even find meals that don't have any turkey at all; for many Westerners, Thanksgiving dinner is more about celebratory feasting than ironclad tradition, so chefs update their menus with everything from lobster with tomato-basil polenta to butternut squash lasagna.Colleen Dunn Bates
Also beginning in earnest is the crop of celebratory activities to mark the 250th anniversary of the quintessential college town.James Heflin

Examples of celebratory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web President Joe Biden capped a somber yet celebratory funeral for Ethel Kennedy on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., echoing the thoughtful remarks from dozens of other mourners who were touched by her decades of love and work. Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2024 Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, unveiled its winners for this year’s Sentinel Awards on Wednesday, ahead of its celebratory ceremony on Oct. 24. Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024 After she was named the league's rookie of the year, McCaffery, Clark's Fever teammates and a handful of Pacers players congratulated the WNBA star with celebratory videos on social media. Natasha Dye, People.com, 15 Oct. 2024 His presence brought a celebratory energy to the event, reinforcing his role as an executive producer on the show. Okla Jones, Essence, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for celebratory 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'celebratory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of celebratory was in 1809

Dictionary Entries Near celebratory

Cite this Entry

“Celebratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celebratory. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!