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 In the episode, Addison pulls her former sister-in-law, Amelia (Caterina Scorsone), out of her sabbatical to assist with a consult on a pregnant woman. — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026 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 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
  • Kaufman said Rivera stopped working for the mayor’s office in April, then received unused vacation pay for another four months.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As anyone who has ever planned a family vacation knows, booking a home that satisfies all of your party’s needs is a true art.
    — Rachel Fletcher, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of vacation
Noun
  • The league has agreed to an extended All-Star break to accommodate the Olympics, but MLB also could tire of waiting for the union to agree with LA28, which badly wants MLB players to participate.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • After the break, Colleyville Heritage wide receiver Trevi Preische’s 10-yard TD reception helped the Panthers make some progress, but a 23-yard score from Caldwell put Argyle’s lead back to three-scores.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 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
  • After his arrest, he was placed on administrative leave without pay from the police department.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But as summer turns to fall, her rituals grow cozier, moving indoors while also recognizing the beauty of the new chill in the air, the crisp frost on the leaves.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of leave
Noun
  • There are also deals on women's pajama gift sets in cute holiday prints, like red plaid or holiday dogs, as well as kids' ski apparel for an upcoming winter vacation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Ready to take on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a December full of holiday parties without worrying if your wardrobe will still fit in 2027?
    — Patricia Neligan, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of holiday
Noun
  • Lee knows that the liberties of fiction do not absolve him of a responsibility to tell the truth.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Stifling the public’s access to information necessary to help cast informed votes is a loss for American democracy and the most basic of personal liberties.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 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 28 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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

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
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All