weekends

USAGE SUMMARY

'weekends' is a perfectly correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to refer to the days of the week that typically come after a work or school week, such as Saturday and Sunday. For example: "I always look forward to spending my weekends relaxing with friends and family."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Travel

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hospital admissions at weekends are different – they rarely come from outpatient clinics, which are held on weekdays: most are emergency admissions and tend to be more serious.

The Guardian - Opinion

It added just over $1m for a $3.7m running total after 10 weekends.

The Guardian - Film

I have navy suits, navy blazers, a navy overcoat, a navy waxed jacket for colder weekends, a navy blouson for warmer weekends.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And obviously you can extend your training sessions at weekends too.

The Guardian - Sport

Middleton was given a part-time job as an assistant accessories buyer by John and Belle Robinson, owners of the Jigsaw fashion chain – perfect for someone who might need to spend long weekends accompanying a prince on pheasant-shooting expeditions or operations in remote parts of the country with the RAF air-sea rescue service.

The Guardian

I was raised walking around on the South Downs at weekends on my father's shoulders.

The Guardian - Music

But few routine services, such as planned surgery, outpatient clinics and GP visits, are available at weekends.

The Guardian

One group concluded that a Conservative would live in a country mansion (with a place in town too), working on "daddy's estate" or as a banker, and playing polo and yachting round the world at weekends.

The Guardian

Weekends were, in her view, an annoying intrusion to the routine, a problem solved by turning Chequers into a second office.

The Guardian

Yoyogi Park, west of Harajuku station, is good for people watching, especially at weekends when it is full of drummers, dancers and artists.

The Guardian - Travel

At weekends, locals head to Addison Road Markets for organic ingredients on a Sunday or to Henson Park for the football.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "at the weekend" when referring to a specific weekend. Example: "I went to the beach at the weekend."

Common error

Avoid using "weekend" when referring to habitual actions. It's more appropriate to say, "I play tennis on "weekends"" instead of "I play tennis on weekend."

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "weekends" is as a plural noun, typically referring to the period from Friday evening to Sunday evening. Ludwig examples show it used to describe recurring activities or general habits related to these days.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Lifestyle

15%

Travel

10%

Less common in

Sport

10%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "weekends" functions primarily as a plural noun denoting the end-of-week period commonly associated with leisure and rest. As Ludwig examples show, it is versatile enough for both formal and informal contexts, fitting seamlessly into discussions about schedules, activities, and routines. Ludwig AI validates the grammatical correctness of the word. Although versatile, it's important to use "weekends" when referring to multiple instances, differentiating it from the singular "weekend" used with "the" for specific occurrences. This guide aims to clarify its usage through practical tips, error prevention, and exploration of semantically related alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Saturday and Sunday

Refers specifically to the two days that constitute the end of the week.

End of the week

Highlights the temporal aspect of the weekend as the concluding part of the week.

Days off

Emphasizes the rest and leisure associated with not working during the weekend.

Leisure time

Focuses on the availability of free time during the weekend for recreational activities.

Holiday breaks

Similar to weekends, but suggests a longer period of rest or vacation.

Free days

Indicates days without scheduled work or obligations.

Recess periods

Suggests intervals of rest, often in a school or work context.

Time off work

Specifically relates to the absence of work during the weekend.

Non-working days

Describes the weekend as days when employment duties are not performed.

Rest days

Focuses on the recuperative aspect of weekends.

FAQs

How do I properly use "weekends" in a sentence?

Use "weekends" to refer to multiple occurrences of the weekend. For example, "She enjoys relaxing on "weekends"".

What's a good alternative to using the word "weekends"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "Saturday and Sunday", "days off", or "leisure time".

Is there a difference between "at the weekend" and "on weekends"?

"At the weekend" is often used in British English to refer to a specific weekend, while "on weekends" generally refers to a recurring activity on multiple weekends.

How can I avoid misusing "weekends" in my writing?

Ensure you're using the plural form "weekends" when discussing general habits or multiple instances. Use the singular "weekend" with "the" to specify a particular instance.