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Definitions

fete

[feyt, fet] / feɪt, fɛt /
NOUN
celebration, party
Synonyms
STRONG
ball banquet bazaar do fair festival fiesta gala
VERB
throw a party for someone
Synonyms
STRONG
celebrate entertain feast festival holiday honor lionize treat
WEAK
hold reception for make much of roll out the red carpet wine and dine
Antonyms
STRONG
disregard forget ignore neglect

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for fete?
A fete is a celebration, a festival, or a day of celebration. As a verb, it can mean to honor someone with such a celebration—to celebrate someone with a big party in their honor. In these contexts, the word implies that the celebration is big and lavish, like a fancy banquet, gala, feast, or ball. As a verb, it can also mean to generally celebrate someone—not with a party, but with a lot of praise or positive media coverage, for example.
Where does fete come from?
Fete comes from the French word feste, meaning “feast."
How do you use fete in a sentence?
Fete is perhaps most commonly used as a verb. Feting someone sometimes involves an actual party, but often it simply involves celebration and praise. Here are some examples of fete in a sentence:
  • Bill’s retiring and we’re throwing a big fete in his honor.
  • Hundreds gathered to fete the couple on their wedding day.
  • The director, once feted by critics, is no longer a media darling.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This year’s special America 250 fete brings together more than 1,000 global performers who will treat audiences to pipe-and-drum acts, drill teams, military bands, choirs, motorcycle stunt shows and more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

He returned home a hero, with his picture on the cover of Life magazine, a White House fete and unexpected celebrity.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

While many trek in from across the country or from the diaspora in Europe and the United States, some hotel owners also report growing numbers of foreign tourists as the annual fete grows.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

On a normal weekend, MPs might try to snatch a bit of downtime, or squeeze in a game of pin the tail on the donkey at a constituency summer fete.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2025

I didn’t want to be responsible for the fete of humankind.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson

Vocabulary lists containing fete

Party Parlance for Mardi Gras

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Mardi Gras: Fun

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!