career

American  

[kuh-reer] / kəˈrɪər /

noun

careers plural

1. an occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework.

   He sought a career as a lawyer.

2. a person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking.

   His career as a soldier ended with the armistice.

   Synonyms:

   livelihood, lifework, work, calling, vocation

3. success in a profession, occupation, etc.

4. a course, especially a swift one.

5. speed, especially full speed.

   The horse stumbled in full career.

6. Archaic. a charge at full speed.

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verb (used without object)

careers, present (3rd person singular) careered, past participle, past careering present participle

1. to run or move rapidly along; go at full speed.

adjective

1. having or following a career; professional.

   a career diplomat.

career British  

/ kəˈrɪə /

noun

1. a path or progress through life or history

2. a profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work

3. (modifier) having or following a career as specified

   a career diplomat

4. a course or path, esp a swift or headlong one

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verb

1. (intr) to move swiftly along; rush in an uncontrolled way

career Idioms  

1. see checkered career.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• careers
  plural

Participles

• careering
  present
• careered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• career
  simple
• careers
  simple
• have careered
  perfect
• has careered
  perfect
• am careering
  progressive
• are careering
  progressive
• is careering
  progressive
• have been careering
  perfect progressive
• has been careering
  perfect progressive

Past

• careered
  simple
• had careered
  perfect
• was careering
  progressive
• were careering
  progressive
• had been careering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will career
  simple
• will have careered
  perfect
• will be careering
  progressive
• will have been careering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of career

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French carriere, from Old Provençal carriera, literally, “road,” from Late Latin carrāria (via) “vehicular (road),” equivalent to Latin carr(us) “wagon” ( see car ¹) + -āria (feminine of -ārius -ary )

Explanation

You may have to take jobs as a dog walker, cat groomer, and fish feeder before you complete school for a career as a veterinarian. Small jobs in the short term give you experience for a long-term career. Career comes from the French carrière, from an older word for "street" or "road." Staying on track for a certain career is like driving a car in one direction on a road, instead of veering in different directions. Maybe the expression "career path" is helpful in remembering that a career is something that progresses, or moves forward on a set path. It can also be used as a verb to describe something moving quickly and uncontrollably, like a car careering into a ditch.

Example Sentences

Career coach Colleen Paulson has heard from hundreds of professionals age 50 or older struggling to land a job over the past two years.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

Appeared in the May 23, 2026, print edition as 'Mitch McConnell’s Historic Senate Career'.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Career ethics officials at the department, we are assured, reviewed and approved everything.

From Salon • May 18, 2026

“No longer is education a monopoly, but rather a competition for families to select the best programs for their child, such as Dual Language Programs, Career Pathways, and so on,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

It'll be the remaining Career Tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• course
• race