journey
Americannoun
-
journeys
plural
-
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)
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journeys,
present (3rd person singular)
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journeyed,
past participle, past
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journeying
present participle
noun
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a travelling from one place to another; trip or voyage
-
-
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.
Synonym Usage
See trip 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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journeysimple
-
journeyssimple
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have journeyedperfect
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has journeyedperfect
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am journeyingprogressive
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are journeyingprogressive
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is journeyingprogressive
-
have been journeyingperfect progressive
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has been journeyingperfect progressive
Past
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journeyedsimple
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had journeyedperfect
-
was journeyingprogressive
-
were journeyingprogressive
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had been journeyingperfect progressive
Future
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; see -ade 1
Explanation
If you're looking for a more refined word to call your latest drive to the beach or trip to the mall, try journey — a noun that describes travel from one place to another. From the Old French journée, meaning a “day’s work or travel,” journey doubles as both noun and verb. The noun simply refers to a voyage; the verb is the act of taking that voyage. So you can journey across the Sahara, or tell friends about your journey across the desert if you make it back alive. Either way, you should always remember that life is a journey, not a destination.
Vocabulary lists containing journey
Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Greetings, World Traveler! — List 2
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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:
Other technical challenges include transferring fuel to Starship in orbit -- a requirement for any journey to the Moon or Mars.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2026
It’s also, despite its shortcomings, a compelling account of an insider-outsider chronicler’s journey through his—and our—turbulent times.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
On Monday, it took its final journey from Alabama to the coast of Destin, Florida, where it will be sunk on Wednesday in a precision operation without explosives.
From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2026
In the bustle of boarding, he had misplaced his cellphone, a special worry since it contained much that he needed for his journey.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026
For these precious jewels, she receives only enough to buy the cooking pot we will need on our journey.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
I also write and talk about mental health, and I’ve helped coach a number of people—friends of friends, mothers of friends, even near-strangers—through their own ECT journeys.
From Slate ● Nov. 11, 2026
The findings help explain why some sinking material transports carbon much farther into the ocean than other particles, even though both begin their journeys near the surface.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026
He’ll continue to cover their winding journeys back into golf’s good graces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026
A consultation launched on Thursday sets out proposed national standards to make journeys safer for everyone and keep pavements clear, particularly for wheelchair users and families with prams.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Rather, they are constructed in Earth orbit from where they are launched on their long interstellar journeys.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
The group journeyed to a gothic mansion in La Jolla and dressed as Marie Antoinette in extravagant rococo dresses.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
At hiring and promotion time, he gives an edge to more journeyed candidates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Misley Mandarin, one of the British-Chagossians who journeyed to the territory, said he had come "peacefully, respectfully, and without threat to anyone - simply to stand on our homeland again".
From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026
Humans have journeyed roughly 25 billion km beyond our planet, yet drilling beneath Earth's surface has only reached a depth of just over 12 km.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 5, 2026
The tiny bubbles melted in my mouth and journeyed northward into my brain.
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
Evan Mills, a financial advisor at Scholar Advising who works with SpaceX employees, previously told MarketWatch that many of those employees believe in the company’s long-term vision, which includes journeying to Mars.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Well, I have just had the privilege of spending a month journeying - literally and figuratively - through some of the divisions that define modern Britain, for a Radio 4 series.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
That’s a worthy destination for the journeying Mr. Burnham.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The four astronauts on NASA's Artemis 2 mission began their fifth day journeying to the Moon on Sunday, after already taking in sights of the lunar surface never before seen by human eyes.
From Barron's ● Apr. 5, 2026
But as time went on, Bobby just kept journeying more and more into himself, once again reading chess books and playing over games from the past.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
