vacation
Americannoun
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a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday.
Schoolchildren are on vacation now.
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a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
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freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.
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an act or instance of vacating.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a period of the year when the law courts or universities are closed
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a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation Also called (in Britain and certain other countries) holiday
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the act of departing from or abandoning property, etc
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vacation
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin vacātiōn-, stem of vacātiō “freedom from something”; equivalent to vacate + -ion; replacing Middle English vacacioun, from Anglo-French
Explanation
A vacation is a time specifically set aside for enjoyment or relaxation, like a dream vacation to Hawaii. Vacation began as an Old French word, meaning "freedom or release" from an activity or occupation — like summer vacation. There's no school. During summer vacation, you'll do lots of things — but you won't be in school. You might even go somewhere for a vacation. Another meaning of vacation is "voiding something legal," like the vacation of the old law about not tying your horse in front of City Hall.
Vocabulary lists containing vacation
Travel
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vac
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Blasted to Smithereens: Synonyms for "Break"
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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.
“He wasn’t the kind of person who went on vacation and laid out in the sun by the pool,” Erin says.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
What does a typical vacation look like for you?
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
The Duffys are not ordinary Americans piling into a minivan for a modest summer vacation.
From Salon • May 18, 2026
Travellers who had planned to vacation in the Gulf and in Asia had instead chosen Morocco, Meliani added.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
And Max’s family’s disappearance wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention right now, because everybody would probably think Max and his parents had just gone away on vacation like they were originally supposed to today.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
