holiday leave

USAGE SUMMARY

"holiday leave" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to vacation or time off that is granted to an employee or students. For example, "The employee was granted two weeks of holiday leave."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

"Holiday leave will be profiled.

The Guardian - Sport

In the US there is no statutory requirement to pay employees holiday leave at all.

Independent

On average, workers use just 77% of annual holiday leave, and only half use it all.

The Guardian - Opinion

After an effective strike last November, the contract workers won improved sick pay and holiday leave.

The Guardian

There is no sickness pay for the self-employed, no holiday leave, no insurance.

The Guardian - Business

This isn't the case anymore, and employees' holiday leave doesn't – and can't – match it.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

An exhibition on leprosy which he saw in a church while on holiday left a deep impression on him.

The Guardian

He travelled the world every summer holiday, leaving when the bell went and returning just in time to start the new term.

The Guardian

In March, the legislature refused to approve an official Martin Luther King holiday, leaving South Carolina as the only state in the nation without one.

The Economist

Cypriot markets were closed Monday for a public holiday, leaving officials just one day to nail down critical details before banks were to reopen Tuesday.

The New York Times

Rababeh said the town's denial of their permit application came Friday evening, one business day before the holiday, leaving little time to appeal.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In corporate documents, specify whether the leave is 'paid' or 'unpaid' to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "holiday leave" when writing for a strictly US-based audience where "vacation time" is the standard term. Using "holiday" in the US often refers specifically to public holidays (like Christmas) rather than personal time off.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "holiday leave" functions as a compound noun where 'holiday' modifies 'leave'. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used to describe a specific employment benefit or an authorized absence. In sentences, it typically acts as the object of verbs like 'take', 'request', or 'grant'.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "holiday leave" is a well-established and correct phrase used primarily in British English and international contexts to denote an employee's entitlement to time off. Ludwig AI confirms its validity across diverse registers, ranging from high-tier news outlets like The Guardian to scientific publications. While synonymous with "annual leave", it is slightly more descriptive of the intent (leisure) rather than just the frequency. Writers should be mindful of their audience, as US-based readers may find "vacation leave" more natural, but the phrase remains a robust choice for global professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

annual leave

More standard in formal HR and employment contract contexts

vacation leave

Commonly used in North American professional environments

vacation time

Focuses on the duration of the leisure period

paid time off

Emphasizes the compensation aspect of the leave

time off

A more informal and general way to describe absence from work

holiday entitlement

Refers to the total amount of leave one is allowed

statutory leave

Refers specifically to leave required by law

break from work

Focuses on the psychological departure from labor

recreational leave

Stresses that the purpose of the leave is leisure

personal days

Usually refers to shorter, flexible periods of leave

FAQs

How to use "holiday leave" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an employee's right to time off, such as: "Employees are entitled to 25 days of "holiday leave" per year."

What can I say instead of "holiday leave"?

You can use terms like "annual leave", "vacation time", or "paid time off" depending on the region.

Which is correct, "holiday leave" or "holiday leaves"?

Both are correct, but "holiday leave" is generally used as an uncountable noun referring to the concept, while "holiday leaves" might refer to multiple distinct instances of leave taken by different people.

Is "holiday leave" formal enough for a contract?

Yes, it is common in international and British contracts, though "annual leave" is often preferred for its technical precision.