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

Josh Rottenberg Instead of doing a fourth season, the series pivoted, becoming a standalone feature with a prime Memorial Day weekend release — a sign of trust both in Jon Favreau’s durable concept and a devoted streaming audience, one that hopefully still likes going out to movie theaters. —Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026

The annual spring dredging usually deepens the channel to 25 feet or more just before the Memorial Day weekend. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025

The series of photos kicks off with a somber image of William and Kate lighting candles on Holocaust Memorial Day. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025

These promotions tend to run year-round, but may be even better during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. —Alora Bopray, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025

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
• microarray

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.