Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 formerly observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S. in remembrance of war dead

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.

3

: confederate memorial day

Examples of Memorial Day in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

South Korea is marking the 70th anniversary of Memorial Day, in tribute of people who died during military service in the 1950-53 Korean War. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

The Labor Day-to-Memorial Day schedule would also ease the summertime strain on the electric grid because schools wouldn’t have to crank up their air conditioners for as long to keep hundreds of students and teachers cool, Patterson argued. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026

The Foothill Club has done a fantastic job of putting on Saratoga’s Memorial Day celebration for 99 years. — Chuck Page, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026

There’s a lot of pressure on Levy and Gosling to truly take us to another galaxy far, far away next Memorial Day weekend. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Memorial Day

• andromache
• bioassay
• cabriolet
• cercariae
• communique
• companionway
• compositae
• decussate
• examinee
• fabaceae
• glyphosate
• gramineae

Kids Definition

Memorial Day

noun

1

: May 30 once observed as a legal holiday in honor of those who died in war

2

: the last Monday in May observed as a legal holiday in most states of the U.S.