Meaning & use
away day
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Meanings
nouncountableBritish
a day spent away from the usual workplace, often for team meetings or planning
Grammar: Countable: use 'a' or 'an' and a plural form 'away days'.
Patterns
- go on an away day
- hold an away day
- an away day at a hotel
Our department is going on an away day next month to discuss the new strategy.
The company held an away day at a country hotel to improve team communication.
She found the away day more productive than a normal meeting in the office.
nouncountablesport
a sports match played at the opponent's location rather than at home
Grammar: Countable: often used in football (soccer) contexts.
Patterns
- an away day at a stadium
- a tough away day
- the team's away day
The fans traveled for hours for the away day at the rival stadium.
It was a difficult away day, and the team lost two to zero.
They have three away days in a row, which will test their endurance.
Word forms
| plural | away days |
|---|
Common combinations
- go on an away day
- We usually go on an away day once a year to brainstorm.
- hold an away day
- The manager decided to hold an away day at a nearby conference center.
- an away day at a hotel
- They organized an away day at a hotel by the lake.
- a team away day
- The team away day helped everyone get to know each other better.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: away day or holiday?
away day vs holiday
A holiday is a time for rest or vacation, while an away day is usually a work-related event.
Practice
The company is organizing a(n) _______ to discuss the new project in a relaxed setting.
Choose one answer.
An away day is a work event held outside the office. 'Holiday' and 'vacation' imply time off, and 'weekend' is just a period, not an event.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “away day”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.