vacation

1 of 2

noun

va·​ca·​tion vā-ˈkā-shən 

və-

often attributive

1

: a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation

had a restful vacation at the beach

2

a

: a scheduled period during which activity (as of a court or school) is suspended

b

: a period of exemption from work granted to an employee

3

: a respite or a time of respite from something : intermission

4

: an act or an instance of vacating

vacation

2 of 2

verb

vacationed; vacationing vā-ˈkā-sh(ə-)niŋ 

və-

intransitive verb

: to take or spend a vacation

vacationed at the shore

vacationer

vā-ˈkā-sh(ə-)nər 

və-

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• break
• holiday [chiefly British]
• hols [British]
• leave
• recess

Verb

• holiday

Examples of vacation in a Sentence

Noun

Family vacations were a high point in my childhood.

When are you taking vacation this year?

Employees are entitled to 120 hours of paid vacation.

I don't have any vacation days left.

We have a one-week vacation in February.

The university will be closed for Christmas vacation.

Verb

hoping to vacation in Spain this summer

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And those agents can actually ruin deals — like the one who tried to negotiate a price down by insulting the home, which turned off her sellers, or another who threatened a sale by going on vacation instead of signing papers at a closing. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024

Guy is in Bora Bora in his vacation polo and khaki shorts, and Chock has opted for a button-up and full-on khakis. —Alice Burton, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024

Verb

They have been spotted vacationing in Croatia and even together at Brady's Hall of Fame induction on June 12. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

American couple Louise and Ben Dalton (Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy) hit it off with free-spirited Paddy and Ciara (James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi) while vacationing in Italy, and eventually go to visit them at their farmhouse in the Devon boonies. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 5 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vacacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French vacacion, borrowed from Latin vacātiōn-, vacātiō "exemption from service, respite from work," from vacāre "to be empty, be free, have leisure" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at vacant

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1883, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing vacation

• long vacation
• vacation home

Kids Definition

vacation

1 of 2 noun

va·​ca·​tion vā-ˈkā-shən 

və-

1

: a period during which activity (as of a school) is stopped for a time

2

: a period spent away from home or business in travel or amusement

vacation

2 of 2 verb

vacationed; vacationing

-sh(ə-)niŋ

: to take or spend a vacation

vacationer

-sh(ə-)nər 

noun

Legal Definition

vacation

noun

va·​ca·​tion

1

: a period in which activity or work is suspended

specifically : an interval between judicial terms

2

: an act or instance of vacating

vacation of a judgment