Synonyms of holiday

holiday 1 of 2

noun

ˈhä-lə-ˌdā 

chiefly British

as in vacation

a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended

the member of parliament met his wife while on holiday in the south of France

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vacation
• break
• leave
• hols
• recess
• relaxation
• rest
• sabbatical
• furlough
• liberty
• respite
• breather
• interim
• interval
• legal holiday
• feast
• intermission
• loafing
• holy day
• idling
• lounging
• slacking

holiday

2 of 2

verb

as in to vacation

to take or spend a vacation

saw kangaroos while holidaying in Australia

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vacation
• rest
• escape
• relax
• get (away)
• get off
• break
• recess
• ease (up)
• lounge
• bum
• let up
• repose
• loaf
• idle
• slack (off)
• laze
• goldbrick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• work
• slave
• labor
• struggle
• endeavor
• hustle
• strain
• plow
• toil
• strive
• plug
• sweat
• plod
• peg (away)
• hump
• grub
• travail
• slog
• drudge
• moil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of holiday

Noun

The film will open in the run-up to Korea’s Chuseok holiday (September 24-26), a three-day public holiday that is one of the territory’s peak box office periods. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2026

Autumn features a holiday market and stroll, and winter is for the brave polar plungers on New Year’s Day and designated free snowmobiling weekends (usually in late February and early March). — Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

The group argues that domestic production is impossible, decorations are critical to holiday retail sales and that tariffs effectively force businesses to choose between operating at a loss and closing. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025

The tradition was started by Queen Elizabeth in 1988, meaning all of her grandchildren grew up holidaying at the beloved home. — Meredith Kile, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025