as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure
photography is merely an avocation for me—I've never tried to make money off of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 avocation
Wine, however, was an avocation that eventually became part of his portfolio.
—
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
And the Romans had other, less-objectionable avocations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Today, cooking has become a major generational avocation and source of pride.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for avocation
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
And the Romans had other, less-objectionable avocations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Today, cooking has become a major generational avocation and source of pride.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for avocation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avocation
Noun
-
In some cases, similarity, in terms of sharing the same political views or hobbies, was linked to better relationship outcomes.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
Yet today ternary computers are just hobby projects.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Shifting To Three Words Maybe the two-word sphere is limited and not conducive to our pursuit.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
-
From the hundreds of police and whole neighborhoods of New Yorkers taking to the streets in the immediate days that followed, to the worldwide pursuit that eventually ensued, people everywhere pitched in.—
Lisa R. Cohen,
New York Daily News,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
But in the last few years, the sport has exploded in popularity around the globe.—
Julia Andersen,
CNN Money,
30 July 2025
-
In May, after initially agreeing to defend the sports commission against lawsuits from shooting victims, Cincinnati Specialty Underwriters Insurance Company filed declaratory judgments in federal court, aiming to deny coverage to the sports commission.—
PJ Green
July 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Residents are increasingly drawn to the area's rivers, mountain trails, and outdoor recreation—all while benefiting from an average income of $63,685 and home listings that average $819,700.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
-
According to Thomas, the themes associated with this zodiac sign include romance, creativity, recreation and children.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Avocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avocation. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share