sightseeing
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of sightseeing
Explanation
Sightseeing is what you do when you travel somewhere and spend time visiting museums, sites, or neighborhoods. You might dream of sightseeing in Paris someday. Sightseeing is an activity that's almost always done in an unfamiliar place, and usually during a vacation. Going sightseeing in the city where you live isn't impossible, though—you could spend a day taking tours, visiting historic sites, and looking at your city the way a tourist would. Sightseeing has been in use since the 19th century, from the idea of "seeing the sights."
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.
But Avalon Mayor Pro Tem Michael Ponce said most crashes involve sightseeing helicopters and private planes generally unfamiliar with the island’s unique landscape and runway, officials say.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
What followed was a series of whirlwind dates - lunches, dinners, sightseeing and shopping trips.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Similar services are spreading across Chinese cities and tourist destinations: paid partners for running, sightseeing, shopping, hospital visits, hot pot dinners, and weekend walks.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
One especially useful touch for travelers: the spa offers quick-drying traditional polishes, making it easier to get back to sightseeing without worrying about smudges.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
“Comfortable outfits for sightseeing in Washington. Spending money for souvenirs. Sunglasses. Camera.”
From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
