1
a
: any of a series of 7-day cycles used in various calendars
especially : a 7-day cycle beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday
b(1)
: a week beginning with a specified day or containing a specified holiday
the week of the 18th
(2)
: a week appointed for public recognition of some cause
2
a
: any seven consecutive days
b
: a series of regular working, business, or school days during each 7-day period
3
British : a time seven days before or after a specified day
last Sunday week

Examples of week in a Sentence

the last week of the month I can meet you sometime next week. The menu changes each week. You can never be sure what will happen from one week to the next. The menu changes from week to week. The baby is two weeks old. I'll be on vacation for two weeks starting this Tuesday. That car rents for $200 a week. I arrived a week ago. It took him two weeks to paint the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Each Monday starts with a gathering of senior executives to review performance data from the previous week. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Though these predictions exist weeks ahead of events, their impact on preparedness is nebulous. — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 Earlier this week, the New York governor called for a third-party investigation into Cornell over its internal investigation into the seven fraternity members who allegedly raped Jane Doe in 2024. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 2 Oct. 2026 In a rare sign of unity within Kosovo's fractured legislative assembly, lawmakers earlier this week unanimously condemned the war crimes verdicts in a declaration. — Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for week

Word History

Etymology

Middle English weke, from Old English wicu, wucu; akin to Old High German wehha week and perhaps to Latin vicis change, alternation, Old High German wehsal exchange

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of week was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Week.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/week. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
a
: seven days in a row
was sick for a week
b
: a period of seven days beginning with Sunday and ending with Saturday
the last week of the month
2
: the working or school days of the calendar week

More from Merriam-Webster on week

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