voyage
Americannoun
-
a course of travel or passage, especially a long journey by water to a distant place.
- Synonyms:
- cruise
-
a passage through air or space, as a flight in an airplane or space vehicle.
-
a journey or expedition from one place to another by land.
-
Often voyages. journeys or travels as the subject of a written account, or the account itself.
the voyages of Marco Polo.
-
Obsolete. an enterprise or undertaking.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a journey, travel, or passage, esp one to a distant land or by sea or air
-
obsolete an ambitious project
verb
Synonym Usage
See trip 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of voyage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ve(i)age, viage, voyage, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin viāticum “travel-money”; see viaticum
Explanation
If someone tells you "bon voyage!" they mean have a good trip. Voyage means trip in French but in English, we use it to mean a long journey. Though voyage is usually used literally to mean a long and exciting journey or a trip that involves sailing such as a cruise, it can be used figuratively as well. Researching your family tree might become a voyage of self-discovery, taking you places you don't expect and teaching you more about yourself than you thought possible.
Vocabulary lists containing voyage
Words Every Pirate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Mayflower Compact (1620)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Greetings, World Traveler! — List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The MV Hondius's voyage began on April 1 in Ushuaia, Argentina, taking in some remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean before steaming north to Cape Verde.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
Expedition cruises don’t run cheap, potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars per voyage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
Three people died on the voyage and nine cases confirmed by tests have been identified.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
My dream is to join a crew on one of those ships for its trans-Atlantic voyage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
The discovery of the historic document led to further research in Europe, Brazil, and Mozambique in search of facts about the São José and its ill-fated voyage.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
