webster's definition of journey

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a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; trip: a six-day journey across the desert.

a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for traveling: a desert journey.

a period of travel: a week's journey.

passage or progress from one stage to another: the journey to success.

to make a journey; travel.

Origin of journey

Synonym study for journey, other words for journey, other words from journey.

• jour·ney·er, noun
• outjourney, verb (used with object), out·jour·neyed, out·jour·ney·ing.

Words Nearby journey

• journal intime
• journalistic
• journeywork

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use journey in a sentence

If either is selected, it would not launch until 2026 at the earliest, and would take at least a few months to make the journey .

The job is a cherry on top, but the journey and the experience of being able to audition and leave your heart in the room and feel good about it, no matter what happens, that’s rare and that was amazing.

Cross-device measurement helps connect the dots of your customer’s journey and ensures you know how effective your campaigns are at driving user behavior.

You are somewhat of a new grandmother and you’ve been enjoying that journey .

Instead of having numerous articles addressing each of these particular questions, brands and publishers could consolidate this information as it is all pertinent to the same stage of the journey that the user is in.

The brokers then scout out potential “crew members” who can earn substantial discounts for working the journey .

The next day, after driving to Putney on the outskirts of London, we start the end of our journey .

The NYPD Emerald Society pipes and drums struck up a slow march and the procession began the journey to the cemetery.

We began a journey with Koenig in the first episode of Serial.

But the sunlight is threatening to fade and a three-and-a-half-hour river journey back to Kisangani looms.

With a hammer the boy knocked off some of the slats of the small box in which Squinty had made his journey .

Then summoning a smart young jemadar with whom he had talked a good deal during the journey , he asked him to read the chit.

But dismissing them from our thoughts for the time being, as we did then from our presence, let us continue our journey .

If the journey is now distasteful to her, she has but her own rashness to blame in having sought it herself.

It was past sundown when they left San Bernardino, but a full moon made the night as good as day for their journey .

British Dictionary definitions for journey

/ ( ˈdʒɜːnɪ ) /

a travelling from one place to another; trip or voyage

the distance travelled in a journey

the time taken to make a journey

(intr) to make a journey

Derived forms of journey

• journeyer , noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Definition of 'journey'

Video: pronunciation of journey

journey in American English

Journey in british english, examples of 'journey' in a sentence journey, related word partners journey, trends of journey.

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Browse alphabetically journey

• journalistic objectivity
• journalling
• journey alone
• journey north
• journey of self-discovery
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'J'

Related terms of journey

• bus journey
• car journey
• sea journey
• bumpy journey
• coach journey
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A Journey Into the Merriam-Webster Word Factory

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By Jennifer Schuessler

• March 22, 2017

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Merriam-Webster , the oldest dictionary publisher in America, has turned itself into a social media powerhouse over the past few years. Its editors star in online videos on hot-button topics like the serial comma, gender pronouns and the dreaded “irregardless.” Its Twitter feed has become a viral sensation , offering witty — and sometimes pointedly political — commentary on the news of the day.

Kory Stamper, a lexicographer here, is very much part of the vanguard of word-nerd celebrities. Her witty “Ask the Editor” video contributions, like a classic on the plural of octopus , and personal blog, Harmless Drudgery , have inspired a Kory Stamper Fan Club on Facebook. One online admirer has carefully tracked minute changes in her hair (which, for one thing, is purple).

But the company remains very much a bricks-and-mortar operation, still based in this small New England city where the Merriam brothers bought the rights to Noah Webster’s dictionary in the 1840s and carried on his idea of a distinctly American language. And this month, Ms. Stamper, the author of the new book “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries,” was more than happy to offer a tour of some of the distinctly analog oddities in the basement.

[ Read more: Three Words We Love to Argue About ]

She walked me through a hallway that seemed to double as a museum of superannuated filing cabinet technology. She offered a glimpse of the dungeonlike storage room used as a podcast studio and cheerfully pointed out some of the creepier company heirlooms, like mangy historical dioramas donated by local schoolchildren and an inflatable dictionary with arms and legs, created for a long-ago promotional campaign.

But the real jaw-dropper was the Backward Index , which includes some 315,000 cards listing words spelled … backward.

“It was conceived of as another way of shuffling information,” Ms. Stamper said of the index, which seems to have been produced intermittently from the 1930s to the ’70s. “Basically, someone sat here and typed up all the entries backwards. And then went crazy.”

Craziness is a bit of a leitmotif in “Word by Word.” The book, published last week by Pantheon, mixes memoiristic meditations on the lexicographic life along with a detailed description of the brain-twisting work of writing dictionaries. The Atlantic called it “an erudite and loving and occasionally profane history of the English language” that’s also “a cheerful and thoughtful rebuke of the cult of the grammar scolds.”

Ms. Stamper calls it “a love letter to dictionaries in English,” if one that allows for some mixed feelings.

“People have so many fears about what their use of language says about them,” she said. “When you talk to people about dictionaries, they often start talking about other things, like which words they love, and which words they hate. And it’s perfectly fine to hate parts of the language.”

Ms. Stamper, 42, grew up in Colorado and majored in medieval studies at Smith College. When she interviewed at Merriam-Webster in 1998, she was puzzled to learn the job involved writing definitions.

“I just thought, ‘Why would you need to do that?’” she recalled. “Hasn’t the dictionary already been written?”

“Word by Word” describes her own initiation into the art of lexicography, which involves wrestling with the continuous evolution of language. She walks the reader, chapter by chapter, through different aspects of a definition, including grammar, pronunciation, etymology and more.

Her first definition, by her recollection, was “blue plate.” Since then, she estimates, she has had a hand in hundreds of thousands of others.

“Take,” which she wrestled with for a month, was the longest in column inches. (It’s also one, she notes wryly, that very few people will ever read.)

“God,” which she revised for the company’s unabridged dictionary (now being updated online only), took the longest — four months — and involved not just extensive reading but consultation with clergy members, theologians and academics, who often responded to her email queries with long philosophical disquisitions.

Which leads to an important point. Dictionaries are often seen as argument-settling arbiters of truth. But their job, Ms. Stamper notes, isn’t to say what something is, but to objectively and comprehensively catalog the many different ways words are used by real people.

Ms. Stamper has no patience for self-styled purists who quail at “irregardless” — an actual word, she notes. (She is O.K. with ending sentences with prepositions as well as — brace yourself — split infinitives.) But she also describes being caught up in some higher-stakes fights.

One chapter takes an uncomfortable look at the racial assumptions baked into a Merriam-Webster definition of the color term “nude.” Another recounts the furor that erupted in 2009 when it added a subdefinition to its entry on “marriage,” noting uses to refer to same-sex unions that weren’t necessarily legally sanctioned.

That brought reams of hate mail, but most interactions with readers are friendlier. When Merriam-Webster began its videos, the heavy-breathing fan mail prompted her to create an “Ask the Editor Video Hotness Chart.”

“People would write in saying, ‘The editor with the glasses is so hot,’” she said. “Which is hysterical, since we all wear glasses.”

Stalkers who show up at the offices in Springfield, alas, may have trouble finding actual people. Ms. Stamper telecommutes from her home outside Philadelphia. During the visit, the halls were eerily deserted. No heads popped above cubicles. Only a few faintly murmuring voices were heard.

But at the center of the main upstairs work area stands a howling mass of irreplaceable historical chatter: the Consolidated Files.

The files, kept in red cabinets that snake around the middle of the room, contain millions of citations: small slips of paper documenting individual word uses, drawn from newspapers, books, radio, packaging and other sources, stretching from the 1980s back well into the 19th century.

These days, lexicographers work from an updated digitized database. But Ms. Stamper opened a drawer and pulled out a favorite “pink,” as editorial notes are called, from the 1950s sternly declaring that the word “cracker” “could not be defined as a ‘biscuit’ nor as a ‘wafer.’”

“This just sums up the job so well,” she said in a sub-sotto-voce whisper.

If dictionaries are a form of information technology, the building is in some ways a catalog of obsolescence. A downstairs gallery includes a 1934 poster advertising the second edition of the Webster’s New International Dictionary, billed as “one of the thickest books ever printed.” (The technology needed to bind it, Ms. Stamper said, no longer exists.)

There are also oddities like an asymmetrically bound Seventh New Collegiate from 1969, designed so it could hold itself up — an innovation that failed to catch on, probably because if you open it too far from the center, it falls over.

The dictionary industry itself has been listing of late, as printed dictionaries have given way to online dictionaries, many of them free. Merriam-Webster, a subsidiary of Encyclopaedia Britannica, itself announced layoffs just as she was finishing her manuscript. (It currently has 70 employees.)

There are only about 50 lexicographers working at dictionary companies in the United States today, Ms. Stamper estimated. But their work, she believes, remains as vital as it was in Noah Webster’s day.

“There’s something to having a bunch of nerds sitting in an office dispassionately reading lots and lots of material and distilling the meaning of a word as it’s been used in lots of places,” she said. “It really is this weird democratic process.”

An article on Thursday about Merriam-Webster, the oldest dictionary publisher in America, described the current edition of the company’s unabridged dictionary incorrectly. It remains in print; it is not an online-only publication. (Future updates to the dictionary, however, will be made only online.)

How we handle corrections

Follow Jennifer Schuessler on Twitter @jennyschuessler

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Meaning of journey in Essential American English Dictionary

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(Definition of journey from the Webster's Essential Mini Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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  Vocabulary      

What does journey mean?

Definitions for journey ˈdʒɜr ni jour·ney, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word journey ., princeton's wordnet rate this definition: 3.0 / 1 vote.

journey, journeying verb

the act of traveling from one place to another

travel, journey verb

undertake a journey or trip

travel upon or across

"travel the oceans"

GCIDE Rate this definition: 4.7 / 3 votes

Journey noun

The distance that is traveled in a journey, or the time taken to complete a journey; as, it's a two-day journey from the oasis into Cairo by camel; from Mecca to Samarkand is quite a journey.

A passage through life, or a passage through any significant experience, or from one state to another.

Wiktionary Rate this definition: 1.5 / 2 votes

journey noun

A set amount of travelling, seen as a single unit; a discrete trip, a voyage.

A day's travelling; the distance travelled in a day.

A day's work.

• journey verb

To travel, to make a trip or voyage.

Wikipedia Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

"The Journey is a song by English boy band 911 . It was released on 30 June 1997 in the United Kingdom through Virgin Records as the sixth and final single from their debut studio album, The Journey (1997). It peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the chart for seven weeks.

ChatGPT Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A journey refers to the act of traveling from one place to another, typically involving a long distance. It can also refer to the process or experience of personal growth, development, or transformation, often involving challenges, learning, and self-discovery. Journeys can be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual in nature and can take various forms such as road trips, exploration of new territories, pursuit of goals or dreams, or the passage through different stages of life.

Webster Dictionary Rate this definition: 1.0 / 1 vote

the travel or work of a day

travel or passage from one place to another; hence, figuratively, a passage through life

Journey verb

to travel from place to place; to go from home to a distance

to traverse; to travel over or through

Etymology: [OE. jornee, journee, prop., a day's journey, OF. jorne, jurne, a day, a day's work of journey, F. journe, fr. OF. jorn, jurn, jor a day, F. jour, fr. L. diurnus. See Journal.]

Wikidata Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded. During that period, the band released a series of hit songs, including 1981's "Don't Stop Believin'", which became in 2009 the top-selling catalog track in iTunes history. Its parent studio album, Escape, the band's eighth and most successful, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles, "Open Arms". Its 1983 follow-up, Frontiers, was almost as successful in the United States, reaching No. 2 and spawning several successful singles; it broadened the band's appeal in the United Kingdom, where it reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart. Journey enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s, and later regrouped with a series of lead singers. Sales have resulted in two gold albums, eight multi-platinum albums, and one diamond album. They have had eighteen Top 40 singles in the US, six of which reached the Top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and two of which reached No. 1 on other Billboard charts, and a No. 6 hit on the UK Singles Chart in "Don't Stop Believin'". Originally a progressive rock band, Journey was described by Allmusic as having cemented a reputation as "one of America's most beloved commercial rock/pop bands" by 1978, when they redefined their sound by embracing traditional pop arrangements on their fourth album, Infinity. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 47 million albums in the US, making them the 28th best selling band. Their worldwide sales have reached over 80 million albums. A 2005 USA Today opinion poll named Journey the fifth best American rock band in history. Their songs have become arena rock staples and are still played on rock radio stations across the world.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

jur′ni, n. any travel: tour: excursion: the weight of finished coins delivered at one time to the Master of the Mint—also Jour′ney-weight .— v.i. Jour′ney , to travel:— pr.p. jour′neying; pa.p. jour′neyed (-nid).— adj. Jour′ney-bat′ed ( Shak. ), wayworn.— ns. Jour′neyman , one who works by the day: any hired workman: one whose apprenticeship is completed; Jour′ney-work , work done by a journeyman or for hire. [Fr. journée — jour , a day—L. diurnus .]

Editors Contribution Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

A form of travel from a place to a specific location of choice.

The journey to Wales is easy and simple as we fly.

Submitted by MaryC on March 8, 2020  

Suggested Resources Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Song lyrics by journey -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by journey on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Journey is ranked #18198 in terms of the most common surnames in America. The Journey surname appeared 1,529 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 would have the surname Journey . 69.3% or 1,061 total occurrences were White . 22.8% or 349 total occurrences were Black . 3.3% or 51 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin. 3.1% or 48 total occurrences were of two or more races . 0.9% or 14 total occurrences were Asian . 0.3% or 6 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native .

Matched Categories

British national corpus.

Spoken Corpus Frequency

Rank popularity for the word 'journey' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2169

Written Corpus Frequency

Rank popularity for the word 'journey' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2603

Nouns Frequency

Rank popularity for the word 'journey' in Nouns Frequency: #844

How to pronounce journey?

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say journey in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of journey in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of journey in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of journey in a Sentence

Wendy Freedman :

The decision by the GMTO partner institutions to start construction is a crucial milestone on our journey to making these amazing discoveries using state-of-the-art science, technology and engineering.

Elaine Thompson-Herah :

It means a lot to us. We have been working hard, one-two-three at the Olympics, and one-two-three at championships. Even though I wanted to win, it didn’t work out. But I’m still keeping the journey going.

Daniel Morgan :

So much of the healing happens through camaraderie— through team and friendships, our belief is really that helping and healing disabled veterans is not a one-time event. We are mentors, healers and friends on their journey .

Amorn Wanichwiwatana :

It is really a journey , a spokesperson for CDC (Thailand Constitution Drafting Commissioner) talked to the media about his work as a CDC member

Carolyn Bourdeaux :

I am grateful to every person who supported me along this journey . While we didn't get the outcome we had hoped for in this election, we achieved an incredible amount, this campaign was about more than me ; it was about building community and working for change. We moved the needle in this district more than anyone thought possible.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

• ^  Princeton's WordNet http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=journey
• ^  GCIDE https://gcide.gnu.org.ua/?q=journey
• ^  Wiktionary https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Journey
• ^  Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey
• ^  ChatGPT https://chat.openai.com
• ^  Webster Dictionary https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journey
• ^  Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=journey
• ^  Chambers 20th Century Dictionary https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=journey
• ^  Surnames Frequency by Census Records https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html

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Image credit, the web's largest resource for, definitions & translations, a member of the stands4 network, free, no signup required :, add to chrome, add to firefox, browse definitions.net, are you a words master, warn strongly; put on guard, Nearby & related entries:.

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Bible Dictionaries Journey

Webster's dictionary.

• Sabbath Day's Journey
• Missionary Journeys
• Journey, Sabbath Day's
•   (only first 3 shown)
• Provision for Journey
• Ezra's Journey
• Desert, Journey of Israel Through the
• Day's Journey
• Sabbath-Day's Journey
• Journeys of the Israelites
• Journeyings of Israel From Egypt to Canaan
• Journeyings
• Sabbath-day's Journey
• Journey, Journeyings
• Days Journey
• Sabbath Days Journey
• διαπορεύομαι

( n.) Travel or passage from one place to another; hence, figuratively, a passage through life.

( n.) The travel or work of a day.

( v. i.) To travel from place to place; to go from home to a distance.

( v. t.) To traverse; to travel over or through.