hobby

noun

Definition of hobbynext
as in pursuit
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure his ranch is just a weekend hobby—he makes his real money as an investment banker

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hobby As a result, Yasmin hasn’t had the easiest time with dating and has instead focused on hobbies — like learning Arabic and salsa dancing. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 Once confined to biotech labs and the disposable income of Silicon Valley billionaires, longevity is no longer a tech bro hobby and has become a consumer aspiration in its own right. — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026 Part of what happens with the impressive hobby is that the anticipation and the retelling carry most of its emotional weight, while the experience itself is compressed into a few days and then absorbed into memory. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 LLMs can be quite adept at helping people figure out how to plan and carry out real-world tasks, such as fixing a plumbing leak, repairing a car, or learning a new hobby. — Ian Bogost, Time, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hobby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobby
  1. pursuit
  2. sport
  3. avocation
  4. recreation
  5. amusement
Noun
  • The victory was particularly timely in their postseason pursuit, with the Philadelphia Phillies closing the gap on their hold of the National League’s top wild spot.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Associated Press LONDON -- Seven people, including two police officers, died early Saturday in a head-on collision in the northeast of England following a pursuit.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of pursuit
Noun
  • California law does not allow sports betting, though the state has been slower than many others to go after prediction markets.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Amateur and professional sports activities and academic exchanges have also been suspended.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sport
Noun
  • Unlike in fields where avocations have to replace callings, academic retirees go on to pen as many articles and books as decline permits.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
  • As Sottile sees it, the dog-show economy thrives on dog lovers’ sense of avocation.
    — Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of avocation
Noun
  • The guidance comes after residents cited noise, effects on wildlife and a desire to preserve natural areas used for recreation, hunting and fishing, according to a press release from the government of Greenland, Naalakkersuisut.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Intended to preserve the human-scale coastal character, conservation values, passive recreation function, neighborhood compatibility and ecological and recreational function of North Hollywood Beach Park and surrounding coastal areas.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of recreation
Noun
  • And the crowd on-hand watching the festivities roared in amusement.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • New Atlas The rides were in varying stages of decay, and there seemed to be a lot of orphaned carousel horses from other amusement centers dotted across the park.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of amusement

Browse Nearby Words

hobbling
hobby
hobbyhorse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hobby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hobby. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hobby

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hobby

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