journey
Americannoun
plural
journeys-
a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; trip.
a six-day journey across the desert.
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a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for traveling.
a desert journey.
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a period of travel.
a week's journey.
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passage or progress from one stage to another.
the journey to success.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a travelling from one place to another; trip or voyage
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the distance travelled in a journey
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the time taken to make a journey
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verb
Usage
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.
Related Words
See trip 1.
Other Word Forms
- journeyer noun
- outjourney verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of journey
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
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.
"We are willing to meet Kanye West as part of his journey of healing, but only after he agrees not to play the Wireless Festival this year."
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
Speaking with AFP, Gibbons describes the impact of the journey -- more than half a century since the first mission to the Moon:
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The roughly 60-mile journey adds to the hundreds of miles she’s already traveled from her birthplace in Plumas County, in the far northeastern corner of California.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
But throughout that journey, she has remembered one of Wooden’s most enduring maxims: “If you listen to players, they’ll listen to you.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
He couldn’t forget Glory and Auntie North, who had taken him in and believed in this journey they shared.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
