Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Toast

v.joyful, kindeveryday

What it means

To honor or celebrate someone or something by raising a drink and speaking good wishes.

Reach for it when describing a social ritual of public appreciation or celebration

At dinner, the apprentices will toast the craftswoman who trained them.

Choose between these

8
  • playful

    cheers to

    when a casual spoken celebration is intended

    not when Cheers to is grammatically loose and too chatty for a formal tribute.

  • everyday

    celebrate

    when the wider joyful occasion matters

    not when Celebrate does not identify the spoken ritual or raised drink.

  • everyday

    drink to

    when the beverage and good wishes should be explicit

    not when The phrase may exclude guests who do not drink and can sound alcohol-centered.

  • warm

    praise

    when admiration is expressed without a ritual

    not when Praise can evaluate work rather than thank or wish well.

  • warm

    raise a glass to

    when traditional celebratory imagery is welcome

    not when It is too elaborate for non-drinking settings or concise reporting.

  • formal

    honor

    when respect and recognition are central

    not when Honor can be solemn and need not involve festivity.

  • formal

    salute

    when concise public respect is offered

    not when Salute carries military associations and may omit warmth.

  • literary

    hail

    when enthusiastic public acclaim suits elevated prose

    not when Hail sounds archaic and much grander than a friendly dinner toast.

Said against

3
  • condemn
  • ignore
  • mourn

It naturally appears in

3
  • toast the couple

    Friends will toast the couple with wishes for a generous life together.

  • toast to success

    The team paused to toast to success before discussing the next risk.

  • propose a toast

    The youngest apprentice stood to propose a toast to the retiring foreman.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.