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Holiday

n. joyful, calm everyday

What it means

Meaning 1

A period away from ordinary work or study used for rest, travel, or recreation.

Reach for it when describing restorative time away from routine responsibilities

The family spent the holiday walking quiet coastal paths.

Meaning 2

A day of public, cultural, or religious celebration or observance.

Reach for it when naming a recognized occasion while respecting different traditions

The library invited residents to explain how they observe the holiday.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
playful
everyday
warm
professional
formal

Meaning 1: A period away from ordinary work or study used for rest, travel, or recreation.

  • playful

    getaway

    Fits when a brief trip provides escape and refreshment

    Careful Getaway requires travel and can sound commercial when someone simply rests at home.

  • everyday

    break

    Fits when a short pause from work or school is meant

    Careful Break can last minutes and may not involve travel, celebration, or sustained rest.

  • everyday

    vacation

    Fits when North American readers need the ordinary term for recreational time away

    Careful Vacation can be taken on any dates and does not necessarily coincide with a public holiday.

  • professional

    leave

    Fits when authorized absence from work is the relevant fact

    Careful Leave can be for illness, care, or duty and need not be recreational.

Meaning 2: A day of public, cultural, or religious celebration or observance.

  • warm

    festival

    Fits when communal celebration extends across events or days

    Careful A festival is an organized celebration and may not confer time away from work.

  • professional

    public holiday

    Fits when law or policy recognizes a day away from ordinary business

    Careful A public holiday need not be celebrated by everyone and varies by jurisdiction.

  • formal

    holy day

    Fits when religious observance is the defining purpose

    Careful Holy day does not fit secular civic commemorations or personal vacations.

  • formal

    observance

    Fits when remembrance or ritual matters more than festivity

    Careful An observance can be solemn and may occur without an official holiday.

Opposites 4

  • work period
  • term time
  • ordinary day
  • workday

Common phrases 4

  • take a holiday

    They plan to take a holiday after the harvest is stored.

  • holiday from work

    A holiday from work gave the caregivers time to rest.

  • public holiday

    The public holiday schedule includes emergency service information.

  • holiday tradition

    Each family described a holiday tradition without presenting it as universal.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated