What does "staycation" mean?
A vacation spent at or close to home.
Staycation
/steɪˈkeɪʃn̩/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A vacation spent at or close to home.
- Grammar: staycation is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Useful contrasts: getaways, outings, traveling.
- Usage evidence: I'm thinking about taking a staycation.
How to use "staycation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "staycation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "staycation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "staycation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "staycation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "staycation" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with a nearby word before publishing so the final choice matches the reader's expectations.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "staycation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A vacation spent at or close to home. informal
"Increasing product lifespans and decreased energy use may also enable both efficiency and sufficiency [...]. This includes means by which materials are used more productively (i.e. the same quantity providing a longer service) and throughput is slowed (i.e. products are replaced less frequently, plus, in the case of tourism, distance of travel is less – the so-called ‘staycation’ approach)."
- 2 A vacation spent at or close to home.; A vacation spent at one's own home without other overnight accommodation. informal
"If you're feeling the pinch of high gas prices and job woes, try a "Staycation", the new industry term for staying at home and enjoying yourself."
- 3 A vacation spent at or close to home.; A holiday spent in one's own country without travelling abroad. British, Ireland, informal
"It's holiday time again. Having invented the staycation – no, I don't like the word either – four years ago when we ran out of money and out of patience with French traffic, we are sticking to principle and, as we did four months ago, hanging out at Tom Hodgkinson's gaff in north Devon."
Verb
- 1 To spend a vacation at or close to home. informal, intransitive
"They may fill some of the airline seats and hotel rooms left vacant by staycationing locals."
- 2 To spend a vacation at or close to home.; To take a holiday in one's own country as opposed to travelling abroad. British, Ireland, informal, intransitive
"[...] I staycationed there this summer, enjoying the ancient town of Sandbach with Saxon crosses in its cobbled square; [...]"
- 3 To spend a vacation at or close to home.; To spend a vacation at one's own home without other overnight accommodation. US, informal, intransitive
"Plan a staycation: Enjoy your own house, your own backyard, your own town. [...] This was the third summer the Wyatts and their two children have staycationed in Virginia Beach."
Example
"I'm thinking about taking a staycation."
Common questions
How do you use "staycation" in a sentence?
I'm thinking about taking a staycation.
How do you pronounce "staycation"?
Pronounced /steɪˈkeɪʃn̩/.
Etymology
The noun is a blend of stay (at home) + vacation. The verb is derived from the noun.