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 On his sabbatical, DiDonna walked 900 miles on pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan. — Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026 Greg Brockman, the cofounder and president of OpenAI, has been with Sam Altman for the startup’s entire history, including during Altman’s brief 2023 ousting as CEO, only taking a short sabbatical late last year. — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 25 July 2026 Almost no one can afford to take a sabbatical immediately, but make a plan for five to seven years from now and begin to budget and strategize to make the logistics work. — Dj Didonna, Time, 13 July 2026 For cultural and biological reasons, female tennis players far more commonly take sabbaticals. — Josh Levin, The Atlantic, 9 July 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
  • For families The pool is made for families looking for some chill time during a busy city vacation.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The shoppers who built these brands in the early 2000s are now in their 30s and 40s, with weddings, kids and vacations to dress for.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of vacation
Noun
  • The high-collar silhouette, a stand-up neckline that extends several inches above the shoulders with no lapel break, is showing up on runways, in mass-market store windows and across editorial coverage heading into the colder months.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In a break from her party’s policies, Peltola has thrown her support behind the Alaska LNG project as way to lower energy costs for Alaskans.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of break
Noun
  • Layoffs, unpaid staff furloughs and school closures probably are ahead as the leaders downsize operations.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Pilots, flight attendants and other aviation workers faced pay cuts and furloughs from the decrease in flyers.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of furlough
Noun
  • Check out the colorful leaves and mountain landscape by visiting the mountain that casts The Shadow, Whiteside.
    — Eva Flowe October 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Alito's recusal leaves open the possibility that the Supreme Court deadlocks 4-4 in the case.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of leave
Noun
  • And while spirituality is a big part of a stay here, this is also a holiday in a luxury resort.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Some jurisdictions have implemented paid holidays from work while political campaigns increasingly offer rides to the polls.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of holiday
Noun
  • Sessions, in a letter seeking leniency that was read into the record by his chief of staff, said his former congressional colleague devoted decades to public service, much of it focused on defending liberty and democracy.
    — Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Tight, familial church communities, huddled in isolated villages and small towns; people held in place; a striking lack of privacy and liberty.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All