When Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith spoke to a hotel ballroom in Manhattan packed with hundreds of gay-rights advocates, fund-raisers and politicians on Saturday night, his mere mention of the words “marriage equality” roused the crowd.

So when Mr. Smith got to the question on everyone’s mind  whether New York would legalize same-sex marriages  he was greeted with a burst of cheers and applause before he could even finish his thought.

“Hold up,” Mr. Smith, a Democrat, said, trying to temper the excitement. “Although we do not have the number of votes at this time needed to pass the marriage equality gender bill this legislative session, we are committed to pursuing its passage.”

With that, Mr. Smith sent a clear signal that same-sex marriage in New York did not stand a good chance of becoming law this year.