Gay — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈgā/

Meaning & Definition of Gay

Gay (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex —often used to refer to men only
  2. of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.
  3. happily excited, merry

Gay (noun)

  1. a gay person; especially, a gay man

Gay (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having much high-spirited energy and movement

    "couples dancing a gay, fast-paced jig"

    similar: active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic, frisky, jaunty, jazzy, kinetic, lively, mettlesome, peppy, perky, pert, pizzazzy, racy, snappy, spanking, sparky, spirited, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy, on the go
    related: dapper, dashing, spiffy, agog, alert, awake, open-eyed, up, wide-awake, agile, nimble, spry, bright, buoyant, cheerful, chipper, chirpy, chirrupy, effervescent, sparkly, upbeat, eager, enthusiastic, keen, frolicsome, impish, pixieish, playful, boisterous, bubbly, ebullient, exuberant, high-spirited, high-strung, nervous, skittish
    opposite: dead, inactive, inanimate, lackadaisical, languid, languishing, languorous, leaden, lifeless, limp, listless, spiritless, vapid
    near: indolent, lazy, unambitious, inert, lethargic, sleepy, sluggish, tired, torpid, weary, apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, stolid, boring, dull, irksome, tedious

  2. having or showing freedom from worries or trouble

    "a gay, thoughtless girl who didn't care whether her work was done or not"

    similar: blithe, carefree, debonair, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, lighthearted, lightsome, slaphappy, unconcerned
    related: blasé, breezy, cavalier, nonchalant, casual, easygoing, informal, laid-back, low-pressure, relaxed, unfussy
    opposite: careworn
    near: earnest, grave, serious, serious-minded, somber, careful, cautious, heedful, wary, anxious, concerned, upset, worried, long-suffering, overburdened, sorrowful

  3. indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor

    "had a gay old time at the party"

    similar: blithe, blithesome, festive, gleeful, jocose, jocular, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, merry, mirthful, sunny
    related: amused, beaming, chuckling, giggling, smiling, bright, buoyant, carefree, cheerful, cheery, chipper, lighthearted, lightsome, upbeat, animated, bouncing, frisky, jaunty, lively, peppy, perky, spirited, sprightful, sprightly, vivacious, zippy, blessed, blissful, delighted, ecstatic, elated, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, exuberant, exultant, gladsome, happy, high, joyful, joyous, jubilant, overjoyed, radiant, rapturous, ravished, thrilled, tickled, amusing, facetious, flippant, frolicsome, funny, hilarious, jesting, joking, joshing, playful, sportive, witty, cavalier, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, unconcerned, hopeful, optimistic, rosy, sanguine, antic, comic, comical, farcical, humorous, riotous, sidesplitting, uproarious
    near: abject, aggrieved, anguished, blue, brokenhearted, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, disheartened, dispirited, downcast, downhearted, forlorn, glum, heartbroken, heartsick, heavyhearted, low-spirited, melancholy, sad, saddened, sorrowful, unhappy, crying, groaning, moaning, sobbing, wailing, weeping, discontented, disgruntled, moody, doleful, dolorous, joyless, lachrymose, lugubrious, mournful, plaintive, sorry, woeful, black, bleak, cheerless, comfortless, dark, depressing, desolate, dismal, dreary, gloomy, gray, morose, saturnine, somber, sullen, miserable, woebegone, wretched, dull, lethargic, listless, sluggish, torpid

  4. having or showing a good mood or disposition

    "with a gay toss of his coat over his shoulder, the dapper old gentleman set off for the party"

    similar: blithe, blithesome, bright, buoyant, canty (British dialect), cheerful, cheery, chipper, eupeptic, gladsome, lightsome, sunny, upbeat, winsome
    related: hopeful, optimistic, rosy, sanguine, animated, chirpy, jaunty, lilting, lively, perky, sprightful, sprightly, vivacious, carefree, careless, cavalier, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, lighthearted, unconcerned, boon, gleeful, jocund, jolly, jovial, merry, mirthful, blissful, delighted, glad, gratified, happy, joyful, joyous, pleased, satisfied, tickled, beaming, grinning, laughing, smiling
    opposite: dour, gloomy, glum, morose, saturnine, sulky, sullen
    near: joyless, sad, unhappy, unsatisfied, dull, lethargic, listless, sluggish, torpid, blue, brokenhearted, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, disheartened, down, downcast, downhearted, droopy, forlorn, hangdog, heavyhearted, inconsolable, low, low-spirited, melancholy, mirthless, sorrowful

  5. serving to lift one's spirits

    "the skylark's gay song lifted me out of my gloom"

    similar: bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, glad
    related: gladdening, heartening, heartwarming, gleaming, radiant, sparkling
    opposite: bleak, cheerless, dark, depressing, dismal, dreary, gloomy, gray
    near: discouraging, disheartening, colorless, drab, dull, lackluster, lusterless, black, desolate, dispiriting

  6. joyously unrestrained

    "it was the era of the flappers, and young women were gay, bold, and defiant of convention"

    similar: bouncy, bubbly, buoyant, crank (chiefly dialect), effervescent, exuberant, frolic, frolicsome, gamesome, high-spirited, vivacious
    related: extroverted, outgoing, uninhibited, carefree, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, joyful, lighthearted, lively, sprightly, boisterous, raucous, rollicking, rowdy, giddy, light-headed, overexuberant, silly, ecstatic, euphoric, lyric, rapturous, audacious, bold, brash, brazen, impertinent, impudent, insolent, saucy
    opposite: low-spirited, sullen
    near: constrained, inhibited, repressed, restrained, subdued, impassive, phlegmatic, stoic, stolid, depressed, dour, glum, morose, surly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Gay

The most common words with a similar meaning to Gay:

British dialect: canty
Chiefly dialect: crank
active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic, frisky, jaunty, jazzy, kinetic, lively, mettlesome, peppy, perky, pert, pizzazzy, racy, snappy, spanking, sparky, spirited, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy, blithe, carefree, debonair, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, insouciant, lighthearted, lightsome, slaphappy, unconcerned, blithesome, festive, gleeful

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Gay

Words with the opposite meaning of Gay:

dead, inactive, inanimate, lackadaisical, languid, languishing, languorous, leaden, lifeless, limp, listless, spiritless, vapid, careworn, dour, gloomy, glum, morose, saturnine, sulky, sullen, bleak, cheerless, dark, depressing, dismal, dreary, gray, low-spirited

Related Words for Gay

dapper, dashing, spiffy, agog, alert, awake, open-eyed, up, wide-awake, agile, nimble, spry, chirpy, chirrupy, sparkly, eager, enthusiastic, keen, impish, pixieish, playful, boisterous, ebullient, high-strung, nervous, skittish, blasé, breezy, cavalier, nonchalant

Near Antonyms of Gay

indolent, lazy, unambitious, inert, lethargic, sleepy, sluggish, tired, torpid, weary, apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, stolid, boring, dull, irksome, tedious, earnest, grave, serious, serious-minded, somber, careful, cautious, heedful, wary, anxious, concerned, upset

Word Forms of Gay

Inflections: gays

Derived words: gay (adverb), gayness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Gay

Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden

First known use: 13th century

Words & Phrases Containing Gay

antigay

Frequently Asked Questions about Gay

What does "Gay" mean?

"Gay" means of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex —often used to refer to men only. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex —often used to refer to men only. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Gay"?

Other words for "Gay" include active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic and frisky. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Gay" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Gay"?

There are 188 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Gay". Common alternatives include active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic, frisky, jaunty and jazzy.

What is the opposite of "Gay"?

Antonyms of "Gay" include dead, inactive, inanimate, lackadaisical, languid, languishing, languorous and leaden. Near antonyms include indolent, lazy, unambitious and inert.

How do you use "Gay" in a sentence?

Examples of "Gay" in a sentence: "couples dancing a gay, fast-paced jig"; "a gay, thoughtless girl who didn't care whether her work was done or not"; "had a gay old time at the party".

Is "Gay" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Gay" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Gay"?

"Gay" is pronounced /ˈgā/.

What is the origin of the word "Gay"?

"Gay" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden. First known use: 13th century.