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celebrate

verb
cel·​e·​brate | \ ˈse-lə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce celebrate (audio) \
celebrated; celebrating

Definition of celebrate

transitive verb

1 : to perform (a sacrament or solemn ceremony) publicly and with appropriate rites A priest celebrates Mass.
2a : to honor (an occasion, such as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business The nation celebrates Memorial Day.
b : to mark (something, such as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine celebrated their 25th anniversary
3 : to hold up or play up for public notice her poetry celebrates the glory of nature

intransitive verb

1 : to observe a holiday, perform a religious ceremony, or take part in a festival The holiday revelers celebrated all day long.
2 : to observe a notable occasion with festivities decided the only way to celebrate was to have a party
Other Words from celebrate Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about celebrate

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Other Words from celebrate

celebration \ ˌse-​lə-​ˈbrā-​shən How to pronounce celebration (audio) \ noun
celebrative \ ˈse-​lə-​ˌbrā-​tiv How to pronounce celebrative (audio) \ adjective
celebrator \ ˈse-​lə-​ˌbrā-​tər How to pronounce celebrator (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for celebrate

keep, observe, celebrate, commemorate mean to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed. keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating. kept the Sabbath by refraining from work observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance. not all holidays are observed nationally celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity. traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event. commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

Examples of celebrate in a Sentence

We are celebrating my birthday by going out to dinner. The family gathered to celebrate Christmas. We are celebrating our anniversary next week. They are celebrating the birth of their third child. The book celebrates the movies of the past. Her lecture celebrated the genius of the artist. He is celebrated for his contributions to modern science. A priest celebrates Mass at the church daily.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Still, no one was prepared for the spiritual journey Rose would give attendees at the final installment of The Broad’s Black Fire Sessions, which celebrates their Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983 exhibit. — Brad Wete, Billboard, "Jimetta Rose and More Bring Soul to The Broad Museum's Black Fire Sessions Finale," 24 Aug. 2019 Tens of thousands of revelers descended on Oakland’s Chinatown Saturday to watch lion dancers, sample delicacies, whack table tennis balls and celebrate the 200th day of the Year of the Pig. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "Tens of thousands jam downtown Oakland for Chinatown festival," 24 Aug. 2019 The question of release hung over a day that walked a fine line: commemorating the nation's fundamental sin of slavery but also celebrating the African descendants who survived its brutality and helped build America. — The Washington Post, oregonlive.com, "Virginia marks the dawn of American slavery in 1619 with solemn ceremonies, speeches and songs," 24 Aug. 2019 The grandchildren of those soldiers had no such demands placed upon them, and instead celebrated the freedoms their grandparents had won. — Los Angeles Times, "Calendar Feedback: Peter Fonda struck gold with ‘Ulee’s’," 23 Aug. 2019 Thom Browne knows that, and in conjunction with FarFetch, the label hosted a party celebrating the world’s happiest fabric at NeueHouse last night. — Vogue, "Thom Browne and FarFetch Host a Fantastical Seersucker Picnic at NeueHouse," 23 Aug. 2019 Let’s celebrate the recovery of our eastern forests, which after two centuries of decimation have regrown to cloak hundreds of millions of acres of unproductive agricultural land. — Bruce Beehler, The Denver Post, "Guest Commentary: Why doom and gloom won’t help us fight climate change," 23 Aug. 2019 One of those dreamers, Victor Jackson, 81, of Okemos, will spend Saturday celebrating his 1969 feat of sailing a makeshift bathtub vessel from Ludington, Michigan, to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. — Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan man ready to celebrate sailing across a Great Lake in a bathtub 50 years ago," 23 Aug. 2019 The Birmingham contractor, along with Atrium Health, Pappas Properties and The Beck Group recently celebrated the topping out of a Pappas Properties medical office building. — William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, "Brasfield & Gorrie North Carolina project reaches milestone," 22 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'celebrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of celebrate

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for celebrate

Middle English celebraten, borrowed from Latin celebrātus, past participle of celebrāre "to throng, frequent, observe (an occasion, festivity), praise" (probably originally back-formation from earlier concelebrāre "to frequent, honor"), derivative of celebr-, celeber "much used, frequented, widely known, famed," probably going back to *kelesri-, of uncertain origin

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More Definitions for celebrate

celebrate

verb
How to pronounce celebrate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of celebrate

: to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, holiday, etc.
formal : to praise (someone or something) : to say that (someone or something) is great or important
formal : to perform (a religious ceremony)

See the full definition for celebrate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

celebrate

verb
cel·​e·​brate | \ ˈse-lə-ˌbrāt How to pronounce celebrate (audio) \
celebrated; celebrating

Kids Definition of celebrate

1 : to observe (a holiday or important occasion) in some special way
2 : to perform (a religious ceremony)

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