avocation
noun
av·o·ca·tion
ˌa-və-ˈkā-shən 
1
2
: customary employment : vocation
'My name is Riah,' said the old man, with courteous action, 'and my avocation is in London city.'—
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens3
archaic
: diversion, distraction
Examples of avocation in a Sentence
He breeds dogs as an avocation.
My favorite avocation is reading.
Recent Examples on the Web
Wine, however, was an avocation that eventually became part of his portfolio.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
And the Romans had other, less-objectionable avocations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Today, cooking has become a major generational avocation and source of pride.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for avocation 
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
And the Romans had other, less-objectionable avocations.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
Today, cooking has become a major generational avocation and source of pride.
—Alexandra Moe, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for avocation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avocation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near avocation
Cite this Entry
“Avocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avocation. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
avocation
noun
av·o·ca·tion
ˌav-ə-ˈkā-shən
1
: customary employment : vocation
2
: an activity one engages in regularly for enjoyment rather than as a job : hobby
avocational
adjective
-shnəl
-shən-ᵊl
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