celebrateverb
uk/ˈsel.ə.breɪt/us/ˈsel.ə.breɪt/celebrate verb (ENJOY AN OCCASION)
B1 [ I or T ] to take part in special enjoyable activities in order to show that a particular occasion is important:
We always celebrate our wedding anniversary by going out to dinner.
If this plan works, we'll celebrate in style (= in a special way).
More examples
- We always celebrate our wedding anniversary with a bottle of champagne.
- The whole town came out to celebrate his return from the war.
- The people at the table behind us were celebrating someone's birthday.
- Crowds celebrated the dictator's deposition.
- How did you celebrate the Millennium?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Celebrating & entertaining
- a good time was had by all idiom
- amuse
- amused
- bacchanalian
- banquet
- entertaining
- go to town idiom
- have a whale of a time idiom
- host
- kill
- kill the fatted calf idiom
- let your hair down idiom
- perform
- push
- revelry
- scintillate
- see in the New Year idiom
- spirit
- take sb out of himself/herself
- town
See more results »
celebrate verb (PRAISE)
[ T ] formal to express admiration and approval for something or someone:
His work celebrates the energy and enthusiasm of the young.
More examples
- The recording has been reissued to celebrate the conductor's 80th birthday.
- Stars of the entertainment world turned out to celebrate his 40th year in show business.
- Her music celebrates the power of nature.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Praising and applauding
- a pat on the back idiom
- acclaim
- acclamation
- accolade
- adulate
- cheer
- extol
- felicitations
- fete
- full marks to sb idiom
- give sb five idiom
- lay
- pat
- praise
- recognize
- rhapsody
- round of applause idiom
- shout-out
- sing
- sing the praises of sb/sth idiom
See more results »
celebrate verb (LEAD A CEREMONY)
[ T ] to lead a religious ceremony:
to celebrate Mass
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Religious practices
- agarbatti
- anoint
- baptize
- bless
- church
- confess
- confession
- genuflect
- genuflection
- go into/enter the church idiom
- hadj
- hajj
- observance
- pilgrimage
- purdah
- reborn
- revival
- revival meeting
- televangelism
- veil
See more results »