/ˈmɛɹi/
1.v.take in marriage
2.v.perform a marriage ceremony
“The minister married us on Saturday”
marry and merry are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. marry means “take in marriage”. merry means “full of or showing high-spirited merriment”. marry is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈmɛɹi/
1.v.take in marriage
2.v.perform a marriage ceremony
“The minister married us on Saturday”
/ˈmɛɹi/
1.adj.full of or showing high-spirited merriment
“when hearts were young and gay”
2.adj.offering fun and gaiety
“a festive (or festal) occasion”
3.adj.quick and energetic
“a brisk walk in the park”
| marry | merry | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɛɹi/ | /ˈmɛɹi/ |
| Said | MER-ee | MER-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb | adjective |
| Senses | 2 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | get married, wed, conjoin | gay, jocund, jolly |
Full entry for marry · Full entry for merry · More comparisons