great sunday: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-MediumInformal
Quick answer
What does “great sunday” mean?
A Sunday that is particularly enjoyable, relaxing, or special.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A Sunday that is particularly enjoyable, relaxing, or special; a highly satisfying day of rest or leisure.
It can extend beyond literal Sundays to refer to any exceptionally pleasant or restful day off, or to ironically describe a Sunday that is unusually busy or stressful. In some religious contexts, it may refer to a significant Sunday in the liturgical calendar (e.g., Easter Sunday).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences. Both varieties use the collocation similarly.
Connotations
Similar positive connotations of leisure, family time, or successful relaxation. In the US, it may be slightly more associated with sports (e.g., NFL) or family brunch culture.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects. More common in spoken than written English.
Grammar
How to Use “great sunday” in a Sentence
[Subject] had a great Sunday [optional prepositional phrase: at the park/with family].It was a great Sunday for [gerund/noun: gardening/a nap].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “great sunday” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We're planning to Sunday it greatly with a roast and a walk.
American English
- Let's really Sunday great by hitting the beach and a barbecue.
adjective
British English
- It was a properly great-Sunday vibe all day.
American English
- We're aiming for a great-Sunday kind of relaxation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in informal internal communications: 'Hope you had a great Sunday and are ready for the week ahead.'
Academic
Extremely rare. Not used in formal academic prose.
Everyday
Very common in casual conversation, social media posts, and messaging to describe weekend experiences.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great sunday”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great sunday”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great sunday”
- Using it as a proper noun without an article: *'We had Great Sunday.' (Correct: 'We had a great Sunday.')
- Confusing with capitalized 'Great Sunday' in historical/religious contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's a common and natural collocation, but its meaning is transparent and compositional.
It would be semantically odd. You could say 'a Sunday-like Saturday' or simply 'a great day'.
No, unless it starts a sentence or is part of a specific title (e.g., 'The Great Sunday Picnic').
'Great Sunday' implies a higher degree of enjoyment or satisfaction than 'good Sunday'.
A Sunday that is particularly enjoyable, relaxing, or special.
Great sunday is usually informal in register.
Great sunday: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsʌn.deɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈsʌn.deɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A Sunday kind of love”
- “Sunday best”
- “Month of Sundays”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sun on a GREAT SUNDAY being GREATER than on other days.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CONTAINER (for experiences); A GOOD DAY IS A VALUABLE OBJECT.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'great Sunday' LEAST likely to be used?