marry: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral. Common in all registers from formal to informal.
Quick answer
What does “marry” mean?
To enter into the legal and social union of marriage as partners.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To enter into the legal and social union of marriage as partners.
To join or unite closely, harmoniously, or officially in other contexts (e.g., ideas, materials, families).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight syntactic preference: BrE slightly favours 'get married to', while AmE equally accepts 'marry' and 'get married to'. The adjective 'married' is used identically.
Connotations
None.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “marry” in a Sentence
SVO (transitive): He married his childhood sweetheart.SV (intransitive): They married in 2020.SVOO (ditransitive?): The registrar married them.SVO to-inf (rare): She married to secure her status.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “marry” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They plan to marry at the local registry office.
- He married into a very well-known family.
American English
- They're going to marry in the spring.
- The judge married them in a small ceremony.
adverb
British English
- They lived happily ever after, as marri*edly* is not standard. Use 'as a married couple'.
American English
- They lived happily ever after, as marri*edly* is not standard. Use 'after getting married'.
adjective
British English
- Her married name is different from her maiden name.
- They seem like a very happily married couple.
American English
- My married life has been wonderful.
- She introduced her married sister.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Can be metaphorical: 'The two companies decided to marry their technologies.'
Academic
Rare in literal sense. Used in sociology/anthropology texts discussing marriage as an institution.
Everyday
Extremely common in personal, social, and news contexts.
Technical
Legal: the formal act solemnised by an authorised person.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marry”
- Incorrect: I want to marry *with* you. Correct: I want to marry you. OR I want to get married *to* you.
- Incorrect: They are going to marry *together*. Correct: They are going to marry/get married. (The verb implies 'together').
- Incorrect use of tense: He has married for ten years. Correct: He got married ten years ago. OR He has been married for ten years.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Marry' is slightly more formal and direct. 'Get married' is the more common, neutral phrase, especially for the event. You 'marry someone' or 'get married to someone'.
Yes, modern English uses 'marry' for all genders. Historically, 'to wed' was sometimes used specifically for men, but this distinction is now obsolete.
Not exactly. 'We got married' refers to the past event of the wedding. 'We are married' describes the current state of being husband and wife.
The primary noun is 'marriage'. 'Wedding' refers specifically to the ceremony, while 'marriage' refers to the institution, relationship, or state.
To enter into the legal and social union of marriage as partners.
Marry is usually neutral. common in all registers from formal to informal. in register.
Marry: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmæri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛri/ /ˈmæri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Marry into money”
- “Marry in haste, repent at leisure”
- “Marry off (to arrange a marriage for someone)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'MARRY' as 'Make A Right Romantic Yes' to remember its core meaning.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARRIAGE IS A UNION/BOND. MARRIAGE IS A JOURNEY ('embark on married life').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically CORRECT?