sabbaticals

noun

plural of sabbatical
as in vacations
a period of time during which someone does not work at their regular job Several professors will be taking sabbaticals this year. She recently returned to work after a two-year sabbatical from her acting career.

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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 sabbaticals Mostly in the Palisades with intermittent sabbaticals from my dad. — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026 DiDonna also identified the moments when sabbaticals tend to land best. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026 Galleries featuring emerging artists, a rotating list of artists-in-residence, as well as a program offering semester-long sabbaticals, were also on the docket for the unfulfilled project. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026 In an article for the Harvard Business Review, the researchers made a case for sabbaticals as a tool employers could use to recruit, keep and foster talented workers. — Colleen Newvine, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026 In an article for the Harvard Business Review, the researchers made a case for sabbaticals as a tool employers could use to recruit, keep and foster talented workers. — Colleen Newvine, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026 Experimenting with ideas like the four-day workweek, longer sabbaticals, and cultures where recovery is understood not as a luxury, but as a leadership capability. — Denielle Sachs, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Faculty are constantly taking sabbaticals for stress management, including the principal. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sabbaticals
  1. vacations
  2. breaks
  3. furloughs
  4. leaves
  5. holidays
  6. liberties
Noun
  • The white floral print channels the actress’s effortless aesthetic, and the easy-to-style design can be paired with tank tops, T-shirts, or even worn as a strapless swimsuit cover-up for beach days and vacations.
    — Taylor Jean Stephan, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • Whether investing in therapy, hiring personal trainers, taking solo vacations, pursuing preventative healthcare, or exploring cosmetic treatments, many are redefining what self-care actually means.
    — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of vacations
Noun
  • Since their relationship became public in 2023, the couple has squeezed romance into tour schedules, football obligations and rare breaks from two of the most demanding careers in entertainment and sports.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Haverhill installed a second bypass line to help better control the flow of sewage after two breaks and a massive sewage overflow for five days last week, helping secure the system as more rains threatened the temporary bypass Tuesday.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of breaks
Noun
  • Police, firefighters, paramedics, and 911 employees are exempt from the furloughs.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • The savings the city will get from the unpaid worker furloughs during the first year of the deal — the new fiscal year starting July 1 — nearly covers the cost of the 2% raises and other benefits employees get that first year.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2026
Definition of furloughs
Noun
  • Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • The earthy scent of decomposing leaves and soil contributes to the smell.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of leaves
Noun
  • Priority Mail Express is available 365 days a year, including federal holidays.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • That’s why there are trash days, which are holidays where the city doesn’t collect trash and recycling, and pickup is usually delayed by one day for the rest of the week.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026
Definition of holidays
Noun
  • Though their creative liberties leaned in different directions, neither was a particular stickler for the truth.
    — Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
  • At every turn, there have been forces of reaction seeking to claw back the extension of our rights and liberties to more people.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 July 2026
Definition of liberties

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sabbatical
sabbaticals
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Cite this Entry

“Sabbaticals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sabbaticals. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sabbaticals

Nglish: Translation of sabbaticals for Spanish Speakers

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