journey

[jur-nee]

noun

plural

journeys 

1. a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; trip.

   a six-day journey across the desert.

   Synonyms: tour, jaunt, excursion

2. a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for traveling.

   a desert journey.

3. a period of travel.

   a week's journey.

4. passage or progress from one stage to another.

   the journey to success.

verb (used without object)

journeyed, journeying 

1. to make a journey; travel.

   Synonyms: peregrinate, rove, roam

journey

/ ˈdʒɜːnɪ /

noun

1. a travelling from one place to another; trip or voyage

2. 1. the distance travelled in a journey

   2. the time taken to make a journey

verb

1. (intr) to make a journey

Other Word Forms

• journeyer noun
• outjourney verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of journey¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English journee “day,” from Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin diurnāta “a day's time, day's work, etc.,” equivalent to Latin diurn(us) “daily” + -āta, feminine of -ātus -ate ¹; -ade ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of journey¹

C13: from Old French journee a day, a day's travelling, from Latin diurnum day's portion; see _diurnal

Synonym Study

See trip ¹.

Example Sentences

And I think ultimately, his journey is a journey of sacrifice.

From Salon

His aim is to take his country to the 2026 World Cup, and the latest stop on that journey is Thursday's friendly against England.

From BBC

But while paying a pound a journey is clear to everyone, the ticketing system for our railways is anything but clear.

From BBC

But in its exhausting pursuit of technical perfection, “The Smashing Machine” merely mirrors its subject’s journey, losing sight of its goal for a futile shot at glory.

From Salon

Train operators use multiple monitoring systems to oversee different aspects of the journey, including routes and speed.

From BBC

Related Words

• adventure 
• campaign 
• crossing 
• drive 
• expedition 
• exploration 
• hike 
• itinerary 
• jaunt 
• migration 
• odyssey 
• outing 
• passage 
• pilgrimage 
• progress 
• quest 
• route 
• sojourn 
• tour 
• travel 

When To Use

What does journey mean?

A journey is a trip, especially one to a faraway place that takes place over a long period of time.The word trip can refer to any instance of traveling from one place to another, no matter how long or short it is. The word journey, though, typically implies a long trip—one that’s at least several hours, and perhaps several months or even years. It also often implies adventure—a journey might even be a quest. A journey may or may not have a planned destination other than whatever lies ahead.The word is also commonly used in a figurative way to liken any lengthy process or progress to such a trip, as in Life is a journey, with many interesting detours. Journey can also be used as a verb meaning to make a long trip, as in We must journey to the land beyond the mountains.Example: My favorite books are about people who make epic journeys around the world.