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
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
Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Not every traveler wants to feel terrified on vacation, so this round-up of eight spooky places around the globe ranges from the perfectly harmless to the downright creepy.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
Photos of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton vacationing off Ischia in 1962 are considered by some to be the first paparazzi photographs, but the enterprising Devon was at it long before that.
—JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacation
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Noun
Loughlin and Mossimo are also rumored to share vacation properties in Idaho and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Not every traveler wants to feel terrified on vacation, so this round-up of eight spooky places around the globe ranges from the perfectly harmless to the downright creepy.
—Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
Warner died in a drowning accident at the age of 54 while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica in July of this year.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
Photos of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton vacationing off Ischia in 1962 are considered by some to be the first paparazzi photographs, but the enterprising Devon was at it long before that.
—JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacation
Cite this Entry
“Vacation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacation. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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