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Synonyms

field day

American  

noun

  1. a day devoted to outdoor sports or athletic contests, as at a school.

  2. an outdoor gathering; outing; picnic.

  3. a day for military exercises and display.

  4. an occasion or opportunity for unrestricted activity, amusement, etc..

    The children had a field day with their new skateboards.
field day British  

noun

  1. a day spent in some special outdoor activity, such as nature study or sport

  2. 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

  3. military a day devoted to manoeuvres or exercises, esp before an audience

  4. 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  

  1. 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.

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.

This might be a rare moment for stock-pickers to have a field day.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

Lost in the heat of competition, they had interrupted a field day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 5, 2025

Maro Itoje has had a field day on occasions so far on the tour, but he is going to experience a pressure he hasn't been under yet.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

At Washington's Freedom Plaza, a makeshift field day took place, where children enjoyed free swag, food and activities.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2025

My school doesn’t have any kind of field day.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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.