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 People are finding little ways to be whimsical by taking up crafts, going to pottery classes, picking up analogue hobbies, or bedazzling their plastic sippers and deciding that counts. — Sonal Nain, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026 Research shows that learning a new language, picking up a new hobby, reading books or traveling can keep your brain active and sharp. — Richard Sima, Washington Post, 7 Nov. 2026 First, putting time into hobbies or pets or leisure and loving democracy aren’t mutually exclusive. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026 The trend toward treating it as a celebrity hobby or a passion project is symptomatic of the current wider social phobia of experts and intellectuals. — Eliza Goodpasture, ARTnews.com, 6 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hobby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hobby
  1. pursuit
  2. sport
  3. avocation
  4. recreation
  5. amusement
Noun
  • Donations help pay for things like the pursuit of public records.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Ever since, the pursuit of peace has steadily receded from the international agenda amid deepening geopolitical competition and inattention or indifference to the multilateral efforts that for decades discouraged acts of war.
    — Pedro Sánchez, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of pursuit
Noun
  • Demand for grading — an act of verifying a card’s authenticity and condition — has grown as collectors increasingly treat trading and vintage sports cards as alternative investments.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Fifty years on, the sports watch has been reimagined many times and remains highly coveted by collectors.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 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
  • Just 6% of Miami’s land is used for parks and recreation, nonprofit Trust for Public Land reported in May.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
  • The tears first fell when the Métiers d’Art prize went to a sapphire-laden Vacheron Constantin pocket watch from 1930 featuring an enamel recreation of the crest of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.
    — Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of recreation
Noun
  • Stewart concluded by joking that his final act of objetophilia had taken place in the very theater where the gala was being held, much to the audience’s dismay and amusement.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Family members of patients and others with ties to Eloise have argued against offering for-profit amusement at a site where vulnerable people suffered.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 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 15 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hobby

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hobby

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