Meaning & use

sabbatical

noun·Academic

An extended period of paid or unpaid leave from work, often taken for rest, study, or travel.

See it in a sentence

The professor took a sabbatical to finish writing her second book.

After ten years at the firm, he was finally eligible for a sabbatical.

A note on using this word

Sabbatical often specifically refers to leave granted to academics, though the term is increasingly used in other professions too.

Words with a similar meaning

leave of absence

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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