activity
noun
ac·tiv·i·ty
ak-ˈti-və-tē 
plural activities
1
2
: vigorous or energetic action : liveliness
a scene of excitement and activity
3
: natural or normal function: such as
a
: a process (such as digestion) that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive
b
: a similar process actually or potentially involving mental function
specifically
: an educational procedure designed to stimulate learning by firsthand experience
4
: an active force
5
a
: a pursuit in which a person is active
business activities
social activities
b
: a form of organized, supervised, often extracurricular recreation
The camp offers hiking, swimming, and other activities.
6
: an organizational unit for performing a specific function
also
: its function or duties
the restaurant inspection activity of the health department
Examples of activity in a Sentence
The holidays always set off a lot of activity in our home.
the sexual activity of married couples
The police are now monitoring criminal activity in the area.
She gets at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.
The instruments are used to detect volcanic activity on the island.
We planned an activity for the children.
Recent Examples on the Web
Its volcanic activity has also caused serious disruption and damage, emitting hazardous ash clouds that forced the nearby airport to close and encased villages in ash.
—
Leo Sands, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
Goldman Sachs reported substantial drops in revenue last year as 2023 had some of the lowest M&A activity in a decade.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has 54 sites in line with the solar eclipse path offering camping and other activities.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024
The festival will feature activity stations where attendees can observe the sun through a satellite's UV cameras to see its solar storms and create their own portable eclipse models and pinhole projection cameras.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Buy your day passes early — these provide access to all the activities noted — to secure the best available prices.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2024
The area was a beehive of activity on a round-the-clock schedule.
—Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
Traditional Chinese Dragon Boats will take to Lake Phalen during this annual festival, and food and other cultural activities celebrating Asian-Pacific cultures are on the schedule, too.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024
Find an event near you and emerge yourself into a day filled with science exhibits, talks, interactive activities and more.
—Jody MacE, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2024
Leo Sands, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
Goldman Sachs reported substantial drops in revenue last year as 2023 had some of the lowest M&A activity in a decade.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has 54 sites in line with the solar eclipse path offering camping and other activities.
—Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024
The festival will feature activity stations where attendees can observe the sun through a satellite's UV cameras to see its solar storms and create their own portable eclipse models and pinhole projection cameras.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Buy your day passes early — these provide access to all the activities noted — to secure the best available prices.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2024
The area was a beehive of activity on a round-the-clock schedule.
—Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024
Traditional Chinese Dragon Boats will take to Lake Phalen during this annual festival, and food and other cultural activities celebrating Asian-Pacific cultures are on the schedule, too.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 6 Apr. 2024
Find an event near you and emerge yourself into a day filled with science exhibits, talks, interactive activities and more.
—Jody MacE, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'activity.' 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 activity
Cite this Entry
“Activity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/activity. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
activity
noun
ac·tiv·i·ty
ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē
plural activities
1
: the quality or state of being active
2
: forceful or energetic action
3
: a natural, normal, or assigned function: as
a
: a process that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive
b
: a similar process that involves or is capable of involving mental function
4
: an educational exercise designed to teach by firsthand experience
5
: an active force
solar activity
6
a
: something done especially for relaxation or fun
b
: a form of organized recreation
Medical Definition
activity
noun
ac·tiv·i·ty
ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē
plural activities
1
: natural or normal function: as
a
: a process (as digestion) that an organism carries on or participates in by virtue of being alive
b
: a similar process actually or potentially involving mental function
specifically
: an educational procedure designed to stimulate learning by firsthand experience
2
: the characteristic of acting chemically or of promoting a chemical reaction
the activity of a catalyst
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share