Meaning & use

carpe diem

phrase·Advanced

An exhortation to enjoy or make the most of the present moment rather than worrying about the future.

See it in a sentence

Quitting her steady job to travel the world was her way of living carpe diem.

The professor closed his lecture with a reminder of carpe diem: seize the opportunities in front of you.

A note on using this word

Carpe diem is Latin for 'seize the day,' from the Roman poet Horace, and is used in English as a fixed phrase or exclamation.

Words with a similar meaning

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