Vocation: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is often used to describe a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. It implies a sense of purpose and dedication.

• She felt her true vocation was in teaching.
• Despite his success in business, John believed his vocation was in helping others.

Similar to 'vocation', but can also imply a deeper, almost spiritual sense of purpose. It's often used when talking about careers or roles that one feels destined to pursue, typically with a positive connotation.

• Nursing isn’t just a job for her; it’s a calling.
• He felt a calling to become a musician from a very young age.

Used to describe a type of job that usually requires special education, training, or skills. It has a formal tone and is often associated with careers in fields like medicine, law, or education.

• She entered the medical profession straight out of college.
• The teaching profession faces many challenges today.

This is a more generic term to describe a job or career. It doesn't imply passion or dedication and is often used in a more neutral or formal context.

• Please list your occupation on the form.
• He changed his occupation from an engineer to a teacher.

Used to describe someone's occupation, particularly when it implies a strong inclination towards a particular career, often one that they feel naturally suited for.

• Teaching feels more like a vocation than just a job for her
• He pursued his vocation as a doctor with great enthusiasm

Implies a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action, often associated with a sense of purpose or mission in life. It can be secular but is often used in a spiritual context.

• She felt a calling to become a nurse and help others
• For him, art was not just a hobby; it was his true calling

Used explicitly to describe a strong feeling that your purpose or career involves service within a religious institution, like becoming a priest, nun, or monk.

• She entered the convent after she felt a religious vocation
• He realized his religious vocation meant devoting his life to the church

Refers specifically to a believed summons from a higher power or deity to undertake a certain role or path, frequently in a religious or spiritual context.

• He spoke about experiencing a divine call that led him to become a priest
• Many prophets describe their experiences as responding to a divine call