Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 formerly observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S. in remembrance of war dead

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.

3

: confederate memorial day

Examples of Memorial Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On Memorial Day weekend 2015, McComb, his wife, Laura, their son Andrew, 6, and daughter Leighton, 4, were vacationing at a riverfront home in Wimberley with another family when the floods hit, pushing the home off its foundation and sending it rushing down the Blanco River. —Rick Jervis, USA Today, 8 July 2025

The 2026 event will be held sometime between Memorial Day and the June 11 opener of the FIFA World Cup. —Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 8 July 2025

Weather, construction and other circumstances permitting, Milwaukee County Zoo offers giraffe feeding experiences daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, and on weekends the rest of September. —Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 8 July 2025

The 2015 Memorial Day weekend, produced a double dose of flooding — combined with high winds, hail and lightning — that affected almost all of Central Texas. —Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 7 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Memorial Day

• andromache
• bioassay
• cabriolet
• cercariae
• communique
• companionway
• compositae
• decussate
• examinee
• fabaceae
• glyphosate
• microarray

Kids Definition

Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 once observed as a legal holiday in honor of those who died in war

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.