Bacchanal is a word for wild, drunken celebration, or for a person who takes part in that kind of revelrynoisy, lively partying and enjoyment, often with drinking. It can also be used as an adjective for something riotouslyin a very energetic, uncontrolled, and extremely lively way festive or drunkenly excessivegreater than what is reasonable, proper, or necessary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /băk-ə-NAHL/
Easy pronunciation: bak-uh-NAHL (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the third syllable: nahl.
Noun sense: a wild, drunken party or celebration.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Bacchanal Meaning
a wild, drunken party or celebration
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
Example: The party turned into a bacchanal that lasted until dawn.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bacchanalia — A close noun synonym for a wild, decadent celebration.
- debauchery — Works well for excessive, morally loose revelry.
- drunken revelry — A natural modern substitute for this sense.
- orgy — Can fit this sense, though it often emphasizes sexual excess more strongly.
- saturnalia — A strong historical synonym, but more literary or learned.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Bacchanal
Meaning 2
a person who drinks heavily and goes on binges
Part of speech: noun
Definition: someone who engages in drinking bouts
Example: He was known as a bacchanal in the city's nightlife scene.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bacchant — A direct literary synonym for a heavy drinker or reveller.
- drunken reveler — A natural modern equivalent for this person sense.
- drunken reveller — British spelling of the same synonym.
Meaning 3
wildly drunken and festive
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: used of riotously drunken merrymaking
Example: It was a bacchanal evening of loud music and reckless dancing.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bacchanalian — The standard adjective form for this sense.
- bacchic — A literary adjective connected with Bacchus and revelry.
- carousing — Works as a close descriptive term, though it is less formal as an adjective.
- orgiastic — Can match the sense of excessive revelry, but often leans more toward sexual excess.
Meaning 4
a drunk reveller or follower of Bacchus
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus
Example: The poem describes the god's bacchants and bacchanals at the feast.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- bacchant — Directly matches this mythological and festive person sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Bacchanal Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- bacchanalia
- debauchery
- drunken revelry
- saturnalia
person who drinks heavily / engages in drinking bouts
- bacchant
- drunken reveler
- drunken reveller
adjective: riotously drunken or festive
- bacchanalian
- bacchic
- carousing
- orgiastic
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing bacchanal the noun for the adjective bacchanalian.
- Using orgy without noticing that it often suggests sexual activity more strongly than bacchanal does.
- Treating riot as a full synonym, when it only overlaps in the sense of noisy disorder.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does bacchanal mean in simple English?
It usually means a wild, drunken party or celebration. It can also refer to a person who drinks heavily or takes part in that kind of revelry.
Is bacchanal the same as bacchanalian?
No. Bacchanal is usually a noun, while bacchanalian is the adjective form meaning wild, festive, or drunkenly excessive.
What are the best synonyms for bacchanal?
For the main sense, good synonyms include bacchanalia, debauchery, drunken revelry, and sometimes orgy or saturnalia, depending on the context.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-15. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.