What does "marry" mean?
To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife.
Marry
/ˈmæɹ.ɪ/ intj, verb
intj, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife.
- Grammar: marry is listed as intj, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: espouse, wed, conjoin, splice.
- Useful contrasts: widowed, fornicating, cohabits.
- Usage evidence: Why would you marry a woman if you like men?
How to use "marry"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "marry" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "marry" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "marry" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "marry" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "marry" is acting as intj, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "espouse" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "marry", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife. intransitive
"Neither of her daughters showed any desire to marry."
- 2 take in marriage; married wordnet
- 3 To enter into marriage with one another. intransitive
"Jack and Jenny married soon after they met."
- 4 perform a marriage ceremony wordnet
- 5 To take as husband or wife. transitive
"In some cultures, it is acceptable for an uncle to marry his niece."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 To arrange for the marriage of; to give away as wife or husband. transitive
"He was eager to marry his daughter to a nobleman."
- 7 To unite in wedlock or matrimony; to perform the ceremony of joining spouses; to bring about a marital union according to the laws or customs of a place. transitive
"A justice of the peace will marry Jones and Smith."
- 8 To join or connect. See also marry up. figuratively, intransitive
"There’s a big gap here. These two parts don’t marry properly."
- 9 To unite; to join together into a close union. figuratively, transitive
"The attempt to marry medieval plainsong with speed metal produced interesting results."
- 10 To place (two ropes) alongside each other so that they may be grasped and hauled on at the same time.
- 11 To join (two ropes) end to end so that both will pass through a block.
Intj
- 1 A term of asseveration: indeed!, in truth! obsolete
"You that be of the court, & eſpecially ye ſworn chaplains beware of a leſſon that a great man taught me at my firſt coming to the court he told me for a good will, he thoughte it wel. He ſayd vnto me. You muſt beware how ſo euer ye do that ye cõtrary not the king, let him haue his ſaiyngs, folow him, go with him. Mary out vpon this counſel, ſhal I ſay, as he ſayes?"
Antonyms
Example
"Why would you marry a woman if you like men?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "marry"?
Common synonyms include: espouse, wed, conjoin, splice, accouple, accumulate.
How do you use "marry" in a sentence?
Why would you marry a woman if you like men?
How do you pronounce "marry"?
Pronounced /ˈmæɹ.ɪ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English marien, from Anglo-Norman marïer, from Latin marītāre (“to wed”), from marītus (“husband, suitor”), from mās (“man, male”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *méryos (“young man”), same source as Sanskrit मर्य (márya, “suitor, young man”). Compare its feminine derivatives: Welsh morwyn (“girl”), merch (“daughter”), Crimean Gothic marzus (“wedding”), Ancient Greek μεῖραξ (meîrax, “boy; girl”), Lithuanian marti̇̀ (“bride”), Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (maⁱriia, “yeoman”).) Displaced native Old English hīwian.
Etymology 2
From Middle English Marie, referring to Mary, the Virgin Mary. Mid-14th century.