career
C1Neutral to formal. Common in professional, academic, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A person's long-term journey through learning, work, and other aspects of life, especially in a particular profession or occupation.
The general progression of one's working or professional life; can also mean moving swiftly and uncontrollably in a particular direction.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primary meaning relates to professional development. Secondary, verb meaning describes rapid, often uncontrolled movement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. Slight variation in collocational preferences.
Connotations
Generally neutral, but can imply ambition, progression, or stability depending on context.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a career (in)pursue a career (as)build a career (on)launch a careeradvance one's careercareer (verb) + preposition (through, into, across)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “career move”
- “at the height of one's career”
- “career-limiting move”
- “career girl/boy/woman/man”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Discussions about professional development, HR, promotions, and training.
Academic
Studies in sociology, psychology, and education focusing on work-life patterns.
Everyday
Talking about jobs, ambitions, and life plans.
Technical
In physics or engineering, can describe the path of a particle.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- She had a distinguished career in the civil service.
- He's contemplating a complete career change.
American English
- Her career in tech took off after that startup.
- He made a career out of helping others.
verb
British English
- The lorry careered off the road and into a field.
- He careered down the hill on his bicycle.
American English
- The car careered across the icy parking lot.
- She careered through the crowd to catch the train.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mother has a career as a nurse.
- What career do you want?
- He is planning his career path carefully.
- She took a career break to look after her children.
- Making a mid-life career shift requires careful financial planning.
- His acting career was launched by a lucky break.
- The scandal proved to be a career-limiting move for the minister.
- Her research has charted the career trajectories of hundreds of executives.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CAREER as the path you CARE about for many YEARS.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAREER IS A JOURNEY / PATH (e.g., career path, career trajectory). CAREER IS A BUILDING (e.g., build a career, career foundations).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'карьера' which can have a narrower, more ambitious/rapid-rise connotation. English 'career' is broader, covering any long-term professional engagement.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'career' as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'I have three careers' – odd unless meaning completely separate professional lives). Confusing verb form 'to career' (move swiftly) with the noun.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'career' as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Career' can refer to any long-term engagement in a field of work, from skilled trades to the professions.
'Job' is a specific position. 'Occupation' is a type of work. 'Career' is the long-term sequence and development of jobs/occupations in someone's life.
Yes, but attributively (e.g., career soldier, career diplomat, career opportunity), meaning it is a long-term or defining aspect.
It is less common than the noun and is typically used in written reports (e.g., news, narratives) to describe sudden, fast, and uncontrolled movement.
Collections
Part of a collection
Work and Jobs
A2 · 49 words · Jobs, professions and the world of work.
Workplace Vocabulary
B1 · 48 words · Professional language for the working environment.