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Synonyms

sightseeing

American  
[sahyt-see-ing] / ˈsaɪtˌsi ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of visiting and seeing places and objects of interest.

adjective

  1. seeing, showing, or used for visiting sights.

    a sightseeing bus.
sightseeing British  
/ ˈsaɪtˌsiːɪŋ /

noun

    1. the activity of visiting the famous or interesting sights of a place

    2. ( as modifier )

      sightseeing trip
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sightseeing

First recorded in 1840–50; sight + seeing

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."

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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.

Someone estimated costs at $1,000 per day per person — staying at 4- or 5-star hotels, using private transportation and avoiding lines for sightseeing.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

The aircraft, a US-made Robinson R44, was on its third sightseeing trip for the day when it went missing.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

Riding Amtrak’s California Zephyr route, it turns out, is equal parts sightseeing extravaganza and endurance test.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

He found himself sightseeing on Jeju Island, a resort island famous for sweet mandarins and volcanic rock statues.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

“But I must confess, I have had quite enough sightseeing for one day.”

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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.