Jollify
What it means
To make a person, place, or occasion more cheerful.
Reach for it when adding a playful or old-fashioned verb for brightening a mood
Paper flowers will jollify the plain meeting room before the children arrive.
Words to choose between 6
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when someone's mood is directly lifted
Careful Cheer can be intransitive and may not mean changing the setting.
-
everyday
perk up
Fits when a person or dull space gains quick energy
Careful The phrasal verb feels casual and suggests a small temporary lift.
-
warm
Fits when appearance or mood becomes lighter and more hopeful
Careful Brighten need not involve festivity or shared amusement.
-
formal
Fits when energy and interest are added to a quiet occasion
Careful Enliven emphasizes activity rather than happiness.
-
literary
Fits when decoration is literally hung in abundance
Careful Festoon concerns ornament and cannot replace emotional cheering.
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literary
Fits when the change brings sincere inward happiness
Careful Gladden is more solemn and does not convey jollify's playful bustle.
Opposites 3
- sadden
- dampen
- depress
Common phrases 3
-
jollify the room
Colorful bunting helped jollify the room for the reunion.
-
jollify the gathering
A fiddle tune began to jollify the gathering.
-
jollify proceedings
The host used a quick quiz to jollify proceedings after lunch.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Jollify is uncommon and deliberately playful; brighten or enliven is clearer in neutral prose.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated