thanksgiving

IPA/ˌθæŋksˈɡɪv.ɪŋ/
KK[θˌæŋksɡˈɪvɪŋ]IPA/ˌθæŋksˈɡɪv.ɪŋ/

thanksgiving — noun

1. the act of expressing gratitude, often in prayer or worship, especially toward G

1.nounB2
Definition

the act of expressing gratitude, often in prayer or worship, especially toward God.

Example

Before dinner, Andres offered thanksgiving for the safe journey home.

offer thanksgiving for + noun

The choir sang a hymn of thanksgiving after the hospital reopened.

hymn of thanksgiving

Common collocations
  • offer thanksgiving
  • prayer of thanksgiving
  • hymn of thanksgiving
  • thanksgiving to God
Synonyms
  • gratitude

    focuses more on the feeling than on the expressed act

  • thanks

    everyday word for spoken gratitude, less ceremonial than 'thanksgiving'

  • praise

    can include admiration as well as thanks, especially in worship

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

offer thanksgiving for + noun

prayer of thanksgiving

thanksgiving to + person/God

Usage Note

Common in religious or ceremonial language, especially with words like prayer, hymn, and worship. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the North American holiday rather than the act of giving thanks itself.

Common Mistakes

We had a thanksgiving at church on Sunday.
We offered thanksgiving at church on Sunday.
This sense usually names an act or expression of gratitude, not a countable event with 'a'.

2. the North American holiday when people gather for a special meal and remember th

2.nounB1
Definition

the North American holiday when people gather for a special meal and remember the harvest and the things they are thankful for.

Example

Minho is flying to Seattle for Thanksgiving with Aunt Grace.

for Thanksgiving

Every Thanksgiving, Bao helps the family roast the turkey early.

Every Thanksgiving

Common collocations
  • on Thanksgiving
  • for Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving dinner
  • Thanksgiving break
  • Thanksgiving weekend
Synonyms
  • Turkey Day

    informal American nickname for the holiday

  • harvest festival

    broader term for a seasonal celebration, not the exact North American holiday

  • holiday

    general word that does not carry the harvest or family-meal meaning

Grammar Patterns

on Thanksgiving

for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving weekend

Usage Note

Usually written with a capital T when it names the holiday. In the US it falls on the fourth Thursday of November; in Canada it is on the second Monday of October.

Common Mistakes

We will visit Grandma on the Thanksgiving.
We will visit Grandma on Thanksgiving.
As a holiday name, 'Thanksgiving' normally appears without 'the'.

3. the days around Thanksgiving, when travel, shopping, school, and work schedules

3.nounB1
Definition

the days around Thanksgiving, when travel, shopping, school, and work schedules often change.

Example

Airfares rise fast during Thanksgiving when college students go home.

during Thanksgiving

Elise stays with cousins through Thanksgiving before classes start again.

through Thanksgiving

Common collocations
  • around Thanksgiving
  • over Thanksgiving
  • through Thanksgiving
  • after Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving weekend
Synonyms
  • holiday weekend

    often similar in casual use, but can be shorter than the full Thanksgiving period

  • break

    focuses on time away from school or work rather than the season itself

  • holiday period

    general expression for the stretch of days around a holiday

Grammar Patterns

around Thanksgiving

over Thanksgiving

after Thanksgiving

through Thanksgiving

Usage Note

Usually appears with around, over, through, before, or after when people mean the wider holiday stretch. Distinguish from sense 2, which points to the holiday day itself.

Common Mistakes

The office is closed the whole Thanksgiving.
The office is closed through Thanksgiving weekend.
This sense refers to the period around the holiday, usually with words like 'through' or 'over'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Thanksgiving is a specific North American holiday, not just any day off. A holiday can be any special day when people do not work or study, so it is much broader. A harvest festival is closer in meaning because it also connects with crops and seasonal thanks, but it can happen in many cultures and is not the same fixed family holiday. Christmas and Easter are also major Christian-linked holidays, yet they center on different stories, seasons, and traditions. Thanksgiving strongly suggests a shared meal, travel to family, and giving thanks, especially in the US and Canada. You can say, 'We are going home for Thanksgiving,' but not every family gathering or autumn festival should be called Thanksgiving.

holiday ↗harvest festivalChristmas ↗Easter ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

This word grew out of the older expression 'giving thanks.' In earlier English, it referred to an act of gratitude or praise, especially in religious use. Later, the same word became the name of the North American holiday set aside for giving thanks after the harvest, and from that holiday name it also developed the time-period sense for the days around it.

First known use

1533

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 2