season

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   One of the four main periods of the year—spring, summer, autumn, or winter—each with its own typical weather.

   Grammar: Countable: use a/an or the plural seasons. For example, 'summer is my favorite season' or 'the four seasons'.

   Patterns

   • the four seasons
   • in (the) season

   Spring is my favorite season because everything starts to grow again.

   In many countries, the seasons are clearly different from one another.

   The rainy season in that region lasts from June to September.

2. 2nouncountable

   A period of the year when a particular activity usually happens, such as sports or hunting.

   Grammar: Countable: often used with the, as in 'the football season' or 'the holiday season'.

   Patterns

   • the football season
   • the holiday season
   • during the season

   The baseball season begins in April and ends in October.

   Many stores hire extra workers during the holiday season.

   He scored twenty goals in his first season with the team.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To add salt, pepper, or other flavorings to food to make it taste better.

   Grammar: Takes an object: season the soup. Often used with 'with': season the chicken with salt.

   Patterns

   • season something with something
   • season something well

   Season the vegetables with a little salt and pepper before roasting them.

   The chef seasoned the steak with garlic and rosemary.

   You should season the soup just before serving it.

Word forms

Common combinations

in season

Strawberries are cheaper when they are in season.

out of season

Fresh peaches are hard to find out of season.

the holiday season

The holiday season is a busy time for shops.

season with salt

Season the potatoes with salt and a little butter.

Synonyms and how they differ

period

A general word for any length of time; 'season' is more specific and suggests a regular yearly pattern.

time

Very general; 'season' is better when you mean a particular part of the year set aside for an activity.

spell

A short, usually indefinite period; 'season' is longer and tied to the calendar.

Word family

seasonal adjective

Relating to or happening in a particular season.

seasoning noun

Salt, herbs, or spices used to flavor food.

seasoned adjective

Experienced or flavored with seasoning, depending on context.

Commonly confused: season or seasonable?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “season”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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