verb
Common
celebrating
Celebrating (verb) means the '-ing' form of celebrate: marking a special occasion with enjoyment or ceremony. Example: “The whole street was celebrating the end of the school year.”
verb
1
The '-ing' form of celebrate: marking a special occasion with enjoyment or ceremony.
"The whole street was celebrating the end of the school year."
"We spent the evening celebrating her promotion."
"They were celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary."
How to use celebrating
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDoing something enjoyable to mark a happy event or achievement, right now or as an ongoing activity.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like celebrating.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- celebratings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The whole street was _____ the end of the school year.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for celebrating
See all rhymes for celebrating →Frequently asked questions
What does “celebrating” mean?
The word “celebrating” means the '-ing' form of celebrate: marking a special occasion with enjoyment or ceremony. In plain terms, doing something enjoyable to mark a happy event or achievement, right now or as an ongoing activity.
How do you use “celebrating” in a sentence?
Here is “celebrating” used in a sentence: “We spent the evening celebrating her promotion.”
What part of speech is “celebrating”?
“Celebrating” is a verb.
Is “celebrating” a common word?
“Celebrating” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between 'celebrating' and 'commemorating'?
Celebrating means marking an occasion with enjoyment and often festivity, usually for a happy event. Commemorating means marking an occasion out of respect or remembrance, and suits solemn events such as anniversaries of a loss, where celebration would feel inappropriate.
When should you use 'celebrating' rather than 'celebrate'?
'Celebrating' is the '-ing' form of 'celebrate', used in continuous tenses ('We are celebrating') or as a gerund or participle ('celebrating in style'). Use the plain form 'celebrate' for simple statements ('We celebrate every year') and after modal verbs ('let's celebrate').
What preposition goes with 'celebrating'?
'Celebrating' usually takes a direct object with no preposition, as in 'celebrating her birthday'. When a preposition is needed, the common choices are 'with' (celebrating with friends) and 'by' (celebrating by going out for dinner).
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include celebrating:
