vocation

American  

[voh-key-shuhn] / voʊˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

vocations plural

1. a particular occupation, business, or profession; calling.

   Synonyms:

   pursuit, employment

2. a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career.

3. a divine call to God's service or to the Christian life.

4. a function or station in life to which one is called by God.

   the religious vocation; the vocation of marriage.

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vocation British  

/ vəʊˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a specified occupation, profession, or trade

2. 1. a special urge, inclination, or predisposition to a particular calling or career, esp a religious one

   2. such a calling or career

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vocations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vocation

1400–50; late Middle English vocacio ( u ) n < Latin vocātiōn- (stem of vocātiō ) a call, summons, equivalent to vocāt ( us ) past participle of vocāre to call ( see -ate ¹) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Unless you can find someone to pay you to sip fancy tropical drinks on the beach, your vocation is not likely to be a vacation. Rather, the word means something you know how to do––or what you do for a living. The word vocation derives from the Latin vocare "to call." To become a priest, you need to feel that you have been "called" to the ministry directly by God. Their job is their calling, or vocation. An avocation is something you do because you love it. Everyone should make it their goal to have their avocation become their vocation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vocation vocations

Performing, Midler adds, “isn’t a job with him — it’s a vocation, a calling.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026

Her return visit to Auschwitz, around the same time, dissolved much of her angst, allowing her to pursue her vocation with greater self-confidence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

For someone whose primary vocation lies in one of the Olympics' most niche sports, it was an unlikely position to be in.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

The author sees her writing vocation as a kind of fiduciary responsibility, appointing herself a trustee of the family lore.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Ser Waymar had been a Sworn Brother of the Night's Watch for less than half a year, but no one could say he had not prepared for his vocation.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

There are vocations filling traditional seminaries and religious communities in the U.S., loyal to Rome and to their local bishops.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2025

Affluent families often paid a skilled artisan to train their children in well-paid, rewarding vocations.

From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2024

In his 2023 Faith and Law presentation, Simon offered “a brief framework on how Christians could and should engage with the distinctive tensions within vocations in law, policy, and associated disciplines.”

From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2024

A. In the face of declining vocations to the priesthood, we continue to ignore the vocations of Catholics who do not meet the narrowly defined criteria for ordained ministry.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 10, 2023

My father would not have believed in the possibility of sub-rosa vocations.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee