golf widow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, slightly humorous
Quick answer
What does “golf widow” mean?
A person, typically a woman, whose partner is frequently absent due to playing golf.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, typically a woman, whose partner is frequently absent due to playing golf.
More broadly, a term for someone whose partner is regularly preoccupied with a time-consuming hobby or sport, leading to their partner's absence. The concept has been extended to other sports/hobbies (e.g., fishing widow, football widow).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally understood and used in both varieties. The sport's popularity influences frequency of use in relevant communities.
Connotations
Similar humorous, slightly resigned connotation in both. May be perceived as mildly old-fashioned or stereotypical.
Frequency
Moderately low frequency in general corpora, but common in lifestyle journalism, humorous commentary, and within communities where golf is popular.
Grammar
How to Use “golf widow” in a Sentence
[Person] is a golf widow.[Person] became a golf widow when her partner took up the sport.She's been left a golf widow every Saturday.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “golf widow” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She was golf-widowed every weekend.
- I refuse to be golf-widowed this summer.
American English
- She felt like she was being golf-widowed.
- He golf-widowed her for the entire tournament.
adjective
British English
- She had a golf-widow lifestyle.
- A golf-widow weekend loomed.
American English
- She was in a golf-widow situation.
- He offered a golf-widow support group.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in informal office talk or light-hearted articles about work-life balance.
Academic
Very rare. Potentially in sociological studies of leisure, gender, or family time.
Everyday
Primary context. Used in casual conversation, lifestyle magazines, and humorous columns.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “golf widow”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “golf widow”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “golf widow”
- Using it for a literal widow whose husband died playing golf (incorrect).
- Spelling as 'golf-widow' or 'golfwidow'.
- Using it for any lonely person, not specifically a partner abandoned for a hobby.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally yes, but modern usage is increasingly gender-neutral. You can have a male golf widow if his partner is the avid golfer.
Yes, the pattern is productive: 'football widow', 'fishing widow', 'gaming widow' are common extensions.
It is generally used humorously and lightly. However, it could be perceived as dismissive of genuine relationship concerns or reinforce gender stereotypes, so sensitivity to context is advised.
Yes, it is listed in major learner's and native-speaker dictionaries as an informal, compound noun.
A person, typically a woman, whose partner is frequently absent due to playing golf.
Golf widow: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡɒlf ˌwɪd.əʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡɑːlf ˌwɪd.oʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Left on the fairway of life (humorous, derived).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a woman standing alone, waving sadly as her partner disappears into the distance toward the golf course, dressed in black like a traditional widow.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEISURE ACTIVITY IS A RIVAL LOVER / ABSENCE DUE TO HOBBY IS DEATH (metaphorical death of the relationship's shared time).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of a 'golf widow'?