Synonyms

field day

American

noun

a day devoted to outdoor sports or athletic contests, as at a school.
an outdoor gathering; outing; picnic.
a day for military exercises and display.
an occasion or opportunity for unrestricted activity, amusement, etc..

The children had a field day with their new skateboards.

field day British

noun

a day spent in some special outdoor activity, such as nature study or sport
a day-long competition between amateur radio operators using battery or generator power, the aim being to make the most contacts with other operators around the world
military a day devoted to manoeuvres or exercises, esp before an audience
informal a day or time of exciting or successful activity

the children had a field day with their new toys
1. a day or series of days devoted to the demonstration of farm machinery in country centres
2. a combined open day and sale on a stud property

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

field day Idioms

A time of great pleasure, activity, or opportunity, as in The press had a field day with this sensational murder trial. This colloquial expression, dating from the 1700s, originally referred to a day set aside for military maneuvers and exercises, and later was extended to a similar day for sports and games. Since the early 1800s it has been used more loosely.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

field days

plural

Etymology

Origin of field day

First recorded in 1740–50

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:

field day

Circuit Court of Appeals especially had a field day mangling this area of the law.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

In fact, activist shareholders have been having a field day lately.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

The stage has been having a field day satirizing the way we transform when we communicate impersonally through our devices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025

That was one of the reasons the group decided on a field day celebration: “Our stomachs have been hurting, our backs have been hurting, just all of the body ailments.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2025