Merry vs. Jolly — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 21, 2024
Merry means cheerful and lively, often associated with festive times. Jolly also means cheerful but with a connotation of hearty, good-natured fun and friendliness.
Difference Between Merry and Jolly
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Merry describes a cheerful and lively state, commonly used in the context of celebrations and holidays. Jolly also conveys cheerfulness but adds a sense of good-natured fun and friendliness, often with a more robust and hearty connotation.
In holiday greetings, merry is often used, as in "Merry Christmas," highlighting a joyful and festive spirit. Jolly, while less common in such greetings, is used to describe someone who is cheerfully outgoing and sociable, like the phrase "jolly old St. Nicholas."
When referring to mood and behavior, merry suggests a light-hearted and carefree joy. Jolly, on the other hand, implies a more exuberant and hearty happiness, often associated with laughter and good times.
In terms of physical appearance, merry might be used to describe someone with a bright and cheerful expression. Jolly is more likely to describe someone with a round, cheerful face, often accompanied by a hearty laugh.
Merry can also be used to describe events and gatherings that are joyful and full of life. Jolly is used more to describe the demeanor of individuals who exude a sense of fun and friendliness in social settings.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Definition
Cheerful and lively
Cheerful and good-natured
Common Usage
Holiday greetings (e.g., Merry Christmas)
Describing sociable, outgoing people
Mood and Behavior
Light-hearted and carefree joy
Exuberant and hearty happiness
Physical Appearance
Bright and cheerful expression
Round, cheerful face with hearty laugh
Event Description
Joyful and full of life
Fun and friendly demeanor in social settings
Compare with Definitions
Merry
Joyful and festive.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Jolly
Cheerful and good-natured.
He was known for his jolly demeanor and hearty laugh.
Merry
Cheerful and lively.
The children were merry during the holiday party.
Jolly
Friendly and exuberant.
She has a jolly personality that lights up the room.
Merry
Showing joy and excitement.
Her merry laughter filled the room.
Jolly
Robust and hearty cheerfulness.
The jolly innkeeper welcomed us warmly.
Merry
Light-hearted and carefree.
They had a merry time at the summer fair.
Jolly
Full of good humor and high spirits.
Merry
Full of cheerfulness, liveliness, and good feelings
Merry revelers.
Jolly
Exhibiting or occasioning happiness or mirth; cheerful
A jolly tune.
Merry
Marked by or offering fun, good feelings, and liveliness; festive
A merry evening.
Jolly
Greatly pleasing; enjoyable
Had a jolly time.
Merry
Brisk
A merry pace.
Jolly
To a great extent or degree; extremely.
Merry
(Archaic) Delightful or pleasing.
Jolly
To keep amused or diverted for one's own purposes; humor.
Merry
Jolly and full of high spirits; happy.
We had a very merry Christmas.
Jolly
To amuse oneself with humorous banter.
Merry
Festive and full of fun and laughter.
Everyone was merry at the party.
Jolly
Chiefly British A good or festive time.
Merry
Brisk
The play moved along at a merry pace.
The car moved at a merry clip.
Jolly
Jollies(Slang) Amusement; kicks
However you get your jollies is fine with me.
Merry
Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight.
A merry jest
Jolly
Full of merriment and high spirits; jovial; joyous; merry.
Merry
(euphemistic) drunk; tipsy
Some of us got a little merry at the office Christmas party.
Jolly
Splendid, excellent, pleasant.
Merry
An English wild cherry.
Jolly
(informal) drunk
Merry
Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play; sportive.
They drank, and were merry with him.
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
Jolly
A pleasure trip or excursion.
Merry
Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy.
Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Jolly
A marine in the English navy.
Merry
Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight; as, a merry jest.
His merie men commanded heTo make him bothe game and glee.
Jolly
Very, extremely
It’s jolly hot in here, isn’t it?
Merry
A kind of wild red cherry.
Jolly
(transitive) To amuse or divert.
Merry
Full of or showing high-spirited merriment;
When hearts were young and gay
A poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company
The jolly crowd at the reunion
Jolly old Saint Nick
A jovial old gentleman
Have a merry Christmas
Peals of merry laughter
A mirthful laugh
Jolly
Full of life and mirth; jovial; joyous; merry; mirthful.
Like a jolly troop of huntsmen.
"A jolly place," said he, "in times of old!But something ails it now: the spot is cursed."
Merry
Offering fun and gaiety;
A gala ball after the inauguration
A festive (or festal) occasion
Gay and exciting night life
A merry evening
Jolly
Expressing mirth, or inspiring it; exciting mirth and gayety.
And with his jolly pipe delights the groves.
Their jolly notes they chanted loud and clear.
Merry
Quick and energetic;
A brisk walk in the park
A lively gait
A merry chase
Traveling at a rattling rate
A snappy pace
A spanking breeze
Jolly
Of fine appearance; handsome; excellent; lively; agreeable; pleasant.
Full jolly knight he seemed, and fair did sit.
The coachman is swelled into jolly dimensions.
Merry
Celebratory and joyous.
The town square was decorated for the merry occasion.
Jolly
To cause to be jolly; to make good-natured; to encourage to feel pleasant or cheerful; - often implying an insincere or bantering spirit; hence, to poke fun at.
We want you to jolly them up a bit.
At noon we lunched at the tail of the ambulance, and gently "jollied" the doctor's topography.
Jolly
A marine in the English navy.
I'm a Jolly - 'Er Majesty's Jolly - soldier an' sailor too!
Jolly
A happy party
Jolly
A yawl used by a ship's sailors for general work
Jolly
Be silly or tease one another;
After we relaxed, we just kidded around
Jolly
Full of or showing high-spirited merriment;
When hearts were young and gay
A poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company
The jolly crowd at the reunion
Jolly old Saint Nick
A jovial old gentleman
Have a merry Christmas
Peals of merry laughter
A mirthful laugh
Jolly
Used as an intensifier (`jolly' is used informally in Britain);
Pretty big
Pretty bad
Jolly decent of him
Jolly
Full of fun and laughter.
The jolly group sang songs around the campfire.
Jolly
Happy and sociable.
The jolly man greeted everyone with a big smile.
Common Curiosities
Can 'merry' describe a person's mood?
Yes, it describes a light-hearted and carefree joy.
What type of joy does 'merry' imply?
Merry implies a joyful and festive spirit.
What does 'merry' mean in holiday greetings?
Merry means cheerful and lively, often used in greetings like "Merry Christmas."
What physical traits are associated with 'jolly'?
Jolly often describes someone with a round, cheerful face and a hearty laugh.
How does 'jolly' differ from 'merry'?
Jolly also means cheerful but with a sense of good-natured, hearty fun.
Is 'jolly' commonly used in holiday greetings?
No, it's less common than 'merry' in holiday greetings.
Can 'merry' be used to describe events?
Yes, it can describe joyful and lively events.
Is 'jolly' more about individual behavior?
Yes, it often describes individuals who are outgoing and fun.
Is 'jolly' used to describe social settings?
Yes, it often describes a friendly and fun atmosphere in social settings.
Does 'jolly' suggest a specific type of cheerfulness?
Yes, it suggests exuberant, sociable, and hearty cheerfulness.
How does 'merry' relate to physical appearance?
It can describe someone with a bright and cheerful expression.
Does 'jolly' have a robust connotation?
Yes, it conveys a sense of robust and hearty cheerfulness.
Does 'merry' imply any sociability?
It implies a joyful presence but not necessarily sociability.
Can 'merry' be used outside holiday contexts?
Yes, it can describe any cheerful and lively situation.
What is a common phrase that uses 'jolly'?
"Jolly old St. Nicholas" is a well-known phrase using 'jolly'.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
