sabbatical

noun

Definition of sabbaticalnext
as in vacation
a period of time during which someone does not work at their regular job Several professors will be taking sabbaticals this year. She recently returned to work after a two-year sabbatical from her acting career.

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sabbatical For cultural and biological reasons, female tennis players far more commonly take sabbaticals. — Josh Levin, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026 The very mission of my sabbatical was to examine exactly this question. — Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 How to put this relationship advice into practice The research doesn’t demand skydiving or a six-month sabbatical. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026 At arguably the height of his career, Edwards took a sabbatical from Nike in 2010 to open Pensole, North America’s only footwear-specific design academy. — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sabbatical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabbatical
  1. vacation
  2. break
  3. furlough
  4. leave
  5. holiday
  6. liberty
Noun
  • Too early to tell, but the Viceroy name will, no doubt, bring Americans, who are already flooding into Portugal for vacation and often, to settle.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • For older travelers who increasingly value convenience and flexibility, having the details handled in advance can make a vacation feel less like a schedule to manage and more like a break.
    — Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of vacation
Noun
  • Give Rice a break Maybe the Yankees can’t sit Rice on Sunday against Dylan Cease, perhaps the best righty starter in the league not named Schilttler.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The risk is trying to fix everything at once or overhelping until your own system breaks.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • In fact, furlough transfers where minimum security inmates transfer from prison to prison are routine, allowing inmates the opportunity to catch their own ride to their next destination.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The district plan also includes unpaid furlough days for workers, but employees unions so far are not going along.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of furlough
Noun
  • The pollen is back, the weather is unbearable and the leaves are threatening to do something.
    — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers envision bacteria on plant leaves or roots that detect stress and trigger responses without conventional electronics.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of leave
Noun
  • Hanoi, Vietnam — Vietnam has charged a man with rape after an American student said she was assaulted while in her bed during a group holiday.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Insider tip The 2026 opening season will extend through the Christmas and the New Year holidays for the first time, and the inside spaces have been adapted accordingly.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of holiday
Noun
  • The executive order emphasizes parental decision-making and religious liberty, and directs federal agencies to examine issues related to religious and medical exemptions from childhood vaccine requirements.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Conservative project, too But the rights and liberties protected by state constitutions haven’t just evolved in a liberal direction.
    — Quinn Yeargain, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of liberty

Browse Nearby Words

RVs
sabbatical
sabbaticals
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sabbatical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabbatical. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sabbatical

Nglish: Translation of sabbatical for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All