Meaning & use
excursion
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Meanings
nouncountable
A short trip made for pleasure, education, or a specific purpose, usually returning the same day.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or 'an'.
Patterns
- go on an excursion
- an excursion to something
- a day excursion
We took a school excursion to the science museum.
The hotel offers a daily excursion to the nearby ruins.
She went on a shopping excursion with her friends.
nouncountable
A brief deviation from a main subject or activity.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'excursion into'.
Patterns
- an excursion into something
The professor's lecture included an excursion into philosophy.
His brief excursion into politics ended quickly.
Word forms
| plural | excursions |
|---|
Common combinations
- go on an excursion
- They went on an excursion to the mountains.
- day excursion
- We booked a day excursion to the island.
- school excursion
- The school excursion was canceled due to rain.
- excursion boat
- The excursion boat left the harbor at noon.
- excursion into
- His book is an excursion into medieval history.
Synonyms and how they differ
- trip
- More general; an excursion is usually shorter and often organized.
- outing
- A short pleasure trip; outing is more informal and often with family or friends.
- jaunt
- A short journey for pleasure; jaunt is more literary or humorous.
- journey
- Usually longer and more significant; excursion is a brief side trip.
Word family
- excursionist noun
- A person who goes on an excursion.
Commonly confused: excursion or exertion?
excursion vs exertion
Exertion means physical or mental effort; excursion is a short trip.
Practice
The class went on a field ___ to study local plants.
Choose one answer.
'Excursion' fits a short educational trip. 'Exertion' is effort, 'exclusion' is keeping out, and 'extension' is lengthening.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “excursion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.