mirth

1 of 2

noun

ˈmərth How to pronounce mirth (audio)
Synonyms of mirth
: gladness or gaiety as shown by or accompanied with laughter
His clumsy attempt at dancing caused much mirth.
mirthful
ˈmərth-fəl How to pronounce mirth (audio)
adjective
mirthfully
ˈmərth-fə-lē How to pronounce mirth (audio)
adverb
mirthfulness noun

mirthful

2 of 2

adjective

mirth·​ful -thfəl How to pronounce mirthful (audio)
1
: full of mirth or merriment
2
: characterized by, expressing, or indicating, mirth
mirthfully
-fəlē How to pronounce mirthful (audio)
-li
adverb
mirthfulness noun
plural -es

Synonyms of mirth

Relevance

Noun

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Examples of mirth in a Sentence

Noun Her clumsy attempt to cut the cake was the cause of much mirth. as charming as your mutual mirth is, could you refrain from nudging each other and giggling during class?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The exertion dampens some of the mirth. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 Their pairing begs the question of whether misery and mirth alternate, blend, or coexist. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 There’s a fair bit of mirth in all this, and in Glanz’s brittle, snippy dialogue, which is abetted by the casting. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 4 June 2026 From arena-filling funnymen to big-name package tours, there will be plenty of mirth and mayhem in local venues. — Bob Mehr, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mirth

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English myrgth, from myrge merry — more at merry

Adjective

Middle English, from mirth, mirthe, myrthe mirth + -ful

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mirth was before the 12th century

Rhymes for mirth

See All Rhymes for mirth

Browse Nearby Words

mirrory
mirth
mirthful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mirth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mirth. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mirth

noun
ˈmərth How to pronounce mirth (audio)
: gaiety accompanied by laughter

More from Merriam-Webster on mirth

Nglish: Translation of mirth for Spanish Speakers

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