Independence Day

noun

: a civil holiday for the celebration of the anniversary of the beginnings of national independence
specifically : July 4 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776

Examples of Independence Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The man who killed seven people and wounded nearly 50 more in an Independence Day mass shooting in suburban Chicago in 2022 was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on April 24. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025 The suburban Chicago man who admitted to fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sophia Tareen, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025 The sentencing hearing, which began Wednesday, has been continued until Thursday morning after the court heard from multiple survivors and relatives of those killed in the shooting at the Independence Day parade. Megan Forrester, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025 There were more firearm injury presentations at night, on the weekends and on some holidays, like Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. Neha Mukherjee, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Independence Day

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Independence Day was in 1791

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Cite this Entry

“Independence Day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Independence%20Day. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

Independence Day

noun
: a holiday celebrating the beginnings of a nation's independence
especially : July 4 observed as a legal holiday in the U.S. in honor of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776

More from Merriam-Webster on Independence Day

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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