much-anticipated holiday

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "much-anticipated holiday" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a holiday that people have been looking forward to for a long time. Example: "The much-anticipated holiday finally arrived, and families gathered to celebrate together."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Food

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Ms. Paster started a food-swap group in Chicago in 2011; it hosts a much-anticipated holiday gift swap in December.

The New York Times - Food

A year ago, a boy who had demonstrated considerable interest in me over several months invited me to join him in celebrating the much-anticipated holiday season in the city.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Flying to a much-anticipated vacation?

Huffington Post

While American retailers brace for the post-Thanksgiving shopping rush, cities across Europe are primping for a slightly different kind of holiday tradition: the much-anticipated opening of the region's storied Christmas markets — and Prague is no exception.

The New York Times

Jackie's parents had divorced four years before she went to Miss Porter's, and some of the letters give an insight into family affairs: in advance of a much anticipated Christmas holiday, she writes dryly that "I can commute happily between my doting parents until they both get sick of me".

The New Yorker

With nearly 300,000 students studying abroad in 2012-2013, a new wave of students will depart on a much-anticipated adventure abroad right after the holidays in late December/early January.

Huffington Post

The election -- on a busy holiday shopping day and during a much-anticipated football game between the University of Hawaii and the University of Alabama -- drew only 46,000 voters, or about 13percentt of those registered.

The New York Times

On Friday's episode, "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays," Shawn (Rider Strong) finally made his much-anticipated appearance along with Mr. and Mrs. Matthews (William Russ and Betsy Randle) and Cory's younger brother Joshua (Uriah Shelton).

Huffington Post

While the evening was crisp, the appetizers were hearty and Christmas cheer kept the crowd warm as they sipped and munched, chatted about their holidays, shopped at Floatique and speculated about the weather for the much-anticipated Rose Parade.

Los Angeles Times

A welcome tradition for the holidays in Westchester, the performance of all six of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, has become a much-anticipated part of the season.

The New York Times

A much-anticipated event was transcending expectations.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "much-anticipated holiday" when you want to emphasize a sense of widespread or collective excitement and expectation surrounding a particular holiday.

Common error

Avoid using "much-anticipated" in very casual conversations or informal writing, as it can sound overly formal or unnatural. Simpler terms like "upcoming" or "next" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much-anticipated holiday" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase, describing the noun "holiday". It expresses that the holiday is eagerly awaited. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable form.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Food

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "much-anticipated holiday" is a grammatically sound and relatively uncommon phrase used to convey a strong sense of excitement and expectation for a particular holiday. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is most frequently found in News & Media and food-related contexts. When using this phrase, consider its formal tone and whether simpler alternatives might be more appropriate for casual settings. While "much-anticipated holiday" is correct and widely understood, remember that the best writing choices are always adapted for their context and target audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eagerly awaited holiday

Replaces "much-anticipated" with a synonym that conveys excitement.

highly anticipated holiday

Uses "highly" to convey a high degree of anticipation.

greatly anticipated holiday

Adds emphasis using "greatly" to increase the level of anticipation.

long-awaited holiday

Emphasizes the duration of waiting for the holiday.

looked-forward-to holiday

Rephrases to highlight the act of looking forward to the holiday.

anticipated holiday season

Shifts focus to the entire holiday period rather than a specific event.

holiday to look forward to

Expresses anticipation in a more descriptive and less direct way.

holiday drawing near

Emphasizes the approach of the holiday.

upcoming holiday

Focuses on the imminence of the holiday, less on the anticipation.

imminent holiday celebrations

Highlights the approaching holiday festivities.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "much-anticipated holiday"?

You can use alternatives like "eagerly awaited holiday", "long-awaited holiday", or "highly anticipated holiday" depending on the context.

Is "much-anticipated holiday" grammatically correct?

Yes, "much-anticipated holiday" is grammatically correct. The phrase uses "much-anticipated" as a compound adjective to describe the noun "holiday".

How do I use "much-anticipated holiday" in a sentence?

You can use "much-anticipated holiday" to describe a holiday that people are eagerly awaiting. For example: "The "much-anticipated holiday" finally arrived, and families gathered to celebrate together."

What's the difference between "anticipated holiday" and "much-anticipated holiday"?

"Much-anticipated holiday" implies a greater level of excitement and expectation compared to simply "anticipated holiday". The word "much" intensifies the anticipation.