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personal day

American

[pur-suh-nl dey] / ˈpɜr sə nl ˌdeɪ /

noun

a day that an employee chooses to take off from work for personal reasons.

I took a personal day to attend my sister's graduation.

Etymology

Origin of personal day

First recorded in 1970–75

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.

Does this count as a sick day, or would I need to use a personal day?

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

The president-elect's son, Donald Trump Jr, paid a brief visit to Greenland on Tuesday, in what he described as a "personal day trip" to talk to people.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2025

A summer vacation getaway doesn’t need to be an overnight haul for your family, out-of-town guests, or a personal day trip.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2023

The measure also grants them one paid personal day, though that does not include any new, dedicated time off for illnesses.

From Washington Post • Dec. 1, 2022

“Nah, the hospital just hired a bunch of new security guys and I took a much-needed personal day, thank you very much.”

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023