career
Americannoun
-
careers
plural
-
an occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework.
He sought a career as a lawyer.
-
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
-
success in a profession, occupation, etc.
-
a course, especially a swift one.
-
speed, especially full speed.
The horse stumbled in full career.
-
Archaic. a charge at full speed.
verb (used without object)
-
careers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
careered,
past participle, past
-
careering
present participle
adjective
noun
-
a path or progress through life or history
-
a profession or occupation chosen as one's life's work
-
(modifier) having or following a career as specified
a career diplomat
-
a course or path, esp a swift or headlong one
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
careersimple
-
careerssimple
-
have careeredperfect
-
has careeredperfect
-
am careeringprogressive
-
are careeringprogressive
-
is careeringprogressive
-
have been careeringperfect progressive
-
has been careeringperfect progressive
Past
-
careeredsimple
-
had careeredperfect
-
was careeringprogressive
-
were careeringprogressive
-
had been careeringperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing career
Can I Work It? Words for "Job"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Academy Awards, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She finishes her career with 25 Test wickets, 101 in one-day internationals and 14 in T20s.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
A teacher by profession, Rocha has dabbled both in academia and politics throughout his career.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
This inspires Rhoda with a plot for a noir Maltese murder mystery—minus any falcons—that will open up a new career for her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Some connections to Brooks’ own career are particularly direct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
In fact, being an educator could be a very dangerous career.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Gen Z is particularly vulnerable because they haven’t had time to build their careers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The late 1990s was littered with the careers of people who had called the stock-market bubble, but too early.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Last month, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wanted to ensure teenagers had technical routes into careers that could rival the path of a university degree.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
A defense of yelling in restaurants: It’s a forbidden behavior in today’s restaurants—but Amanda Albee spoke to chefs who say it massively improved their careers.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
But that is only the latest in what has been an extraordinary string of experiences and careers.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
As to why the ride careered off the rails, McCullum gave us a clue on his very first day in the job.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The driver was arrested after the vehicle careered from a main square down a major city centre street, close to historic sites.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
In the latest incident in Leipzig, a Volkswagen Taigo car careered from a major square in the old town down a busy pedestrian zone, travelling hundreds of metres.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
The work vehicle careered down the road before smashing through the gates beside Knaresborough Station and hitting a Victorian signal box, causing major disruption to services between Harrogate and York.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025
Joaquin leaned his body to the left as he careered down the hill toward the arts center.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
Being closer, or watching from the air, doesn’t diminish the awe one feels watching the waves, and the bodies within them, careering toward the Portuguese beach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
The accident, which saw the picture-postcard 19th-century Gloria tramway hurtle into a building after careering off the rails, shocked the Portuguese capital, laying bare fears over the safety of the popular yet ageing tourist attraction.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2025
Only after that point could turmoil begin: It was shattered by an impact and shifted outward to the asteroid belt, where subsequent impacts would have formed the Athor family and sent some careering toward Earth.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 16, 2024
Early in the Premier League game between Sheffield United and Brighton last month, the Sheffield United defender Mason Holgate went careering into Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton’s dazzling winger.
From New York Times ● Mar. 1, 2024
“Look, aeroplanes!” said Michael, as they stopped before a window in which toy aeroplanes were careering through the air on wires.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
