Merry means cheerful, lively, and full of good spirits. When you're merry, you feel happy in a way that makes you want to laugh, sing, or celebrate. People at a birthday party might be merry, enjoying games and cake together. A group of friends walking home from school might be merry, joking and teasing each other in a lighthearted way.

The word often appears in holiday greetings like “Merry Christmas!” where it expresses warm wishes for happiness and celebration. You might also hear about merry music (bright and upbeat songs) or merry laughter (the kind that bubbles up when everyone's having a good time).

Merry involves happiness combined with liveliness and fun that spreads to others around you. A merry gathering has energy and warmth, where people laugh and connect. When Robin Hood and his band lived as outlaws in Sherwood Forest, they were called the “Merry Men” because despite their hard life, they kept their spirits high through friendship, adventure, and laughter. That's the heart of merriness: finding joy and sharing it with others, even when circumstances aren't perfect.