What does "sunday" mean?
The first day of the week in many religious traditions, and the seventh day of the week in systems using the ISO 8601 standard; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day; it follows Saturday and precedes Monday.
Sunday
/ˈsʌn.deɪ/ adv, noun, verb, slang
adv, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The first day of the week in many religious traditions, and the seventh day of the week in systems using the ISO 8601 standard; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day; it follows Saturday and precedes Monday.
- Grammar: sunday is listed as adv, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: lord's day, christmas, church calendar, day of rest.
- Useful contrasts: monday, saturday, weekday.
- Usage evidence: You don't have to go to school on Sunday.
How to use "sunday"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sunday" 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 "sunday" 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 "sunday" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sunday" 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 "sunday" is acting as adv, 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 "lord's day" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
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 "sunday", 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 The first day of the week in many religious traditions, and the seventh day of the week in systems using the ISO 8601 standard; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day; it follows Saturday and precedes Monday.
"Every day is like Sunday / Every day is silent and grey"
- 2 first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians wordnet
- 3 A newspaper published on Sunday. informal
"I gave him the switchboard with my love, went down to the Savoy for breakfast and read the Sundays."
- 4 A comic strip published in a Sunday newspaper. informal
"It just wasn't his thing, although he did beautiful Sundays for however long he did them. So as soon as he could, he hired someone to do the Sundays. Karen and I would do some dailies, but we were the Sunday artists."
- 5 Describes someone who does something occasionally or casually, and therefore without skill. attributive, informal
"Your face is the color of a Sunday swimmer who swallowed half the pool."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Describes something particularly fine and elegant, particularly something that could be worn to or used at church. attributive, informal
"His father replies with a special tone of voice (his 'Sunday voice', which he also used for reading fairy tales): 'That is about the tragedy of human beings!'"
Verb
- 1 To spend Sunday (at a certain place, with a certain person or people, etc.). informal, intransitive
"I waded through accounts of new calves and colts, new fences and barns, who “Sundayed” with his brother, etc., and soon had a list of all the cases in that part of the country."
Adverb
- 1 On Sunday. Canada, US, informal, not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"You don't have to go to school on Sunday."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sunday"?
Common synonyms include: lord's day, christmas, church calendar, day of rest, dies non, domingo.
How do you use "sunday" in a sentence?
You don't have to go to school on Sunday.
How do you pronounce "sunday"?
Pronounced /ˈsʌn.deɪ/.
Etymology
From Middle English Sonday, from Old English sunnandæġ, from Proto-West Germanic *Sunnōn dag (literally “day of the Sun”), equivalent to sun + day, as a calque (interpretātiō germānica) of Latin diēs Sōlis; declared the "venerable day of the sun" by Roman Emperor Constantine on March 7, 321 C.E. Compare Saterland Frisian Sundai (“Sunday”), German Low German Sünndag, Dutch zondag, West Frisian snein, German Sonntag, Danish søndag.