Synonyms for nuptials

6 synonyms

noun

Most common

marriage wedding bridal matrimony

All synonyms

Noun

wedding, marriage, bridal, matrimony, espousal, hymeneals

Definitions

n. 1
A wedding ceremony.

Choose the right word

Nuptials or Wedding?

Wedding denotes the ceremony, with any attendant festivities, by which two persons are united as husband and wife, nuptials being the more formal and stately term to express the same idea.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

marriage He intimated that all is not well in his marriage.
wedding The wedding ceremony was performed in the morning.
bridal The bridal bouquet was made of roses and tulips.
matrimony The critical period in matrimony is breakfast time.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
nuptials		rising
marriage		rising
wedding		rising
bridal		rising
matrimony		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

6 letters: bridal²
7 letters: wedding²
8 letters: marriage², espousal
9 letters: matrimony⁴, hymeneals

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (bridal² = 2 syllables).