Meaning & use
second honeymoon
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A vacation taken by a married couple some time after their wedding, often to reconnect romantically.
Grammar: Countable: 'a second honeymoon', 'two second honeymoons'. Often used with 'go on'.
Patterns
- go on a second honeymoon
- take a second honeymoon
- a second honeymoon in a place
They went on a second honeymoon to Paris for their tenth anniversary.
After the children left home, the couple took a second honeymoon.
A second honeymoon can help couples rediscover each other.
Word forms
| plural | second honeymoons |
|---|
Common combinations
- go on a second honeymoon
- They decided to go on a second honeymoon to celebrate their silver anniversary.
- take a second honeymoon
- We took a second honeymoon in Italy last spring.
- a romantic second honeymoon
- He planned a romantic second honeymoon with candlelit dinners.
- a second honeymoon in Hawaii
- They enjoyed a second honeymoon in Hawaii.
Synonyms and how they differ
- romantic getaway
- A romantic getaway is any romantic trip; a second honeymoon specifically suggests a married couple rekindling their relationship.
- anniversary trip
- An anniversary trip is taken to mark an anniversary; a second honeymoon focuses on reconnecting, not necessarily on the date.
Word family
- honeymoon noun
- The vacation taken immediately after a wedding.
- honeymooner noun
- A person on a honeymoon.
Commonly confused: second honeymoon or honeymoon?
second honeymoon vs honeymoon
A honeymoon is the first vacation after marriage; a second honeymoon happens later, often years after.
Practice
For their 20th wedding anniversary, they decided to ______ a second honeymoon in Rome.
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is 'go on a second honeymoon' or 'take a second honeymoon'. 'Make' and 'do' do not collocate with 'honeymoon'; 'take on' means to accept work or responsibility, not to go on a trip.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “second honeymoon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.