English Reference
Idiom idiom

month of Sundays


A very long time; a period regarded as too long.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I have not seen my old friend in a month of Sundays.

We do not visit the city center in a month of Sundays.

He does not clean his messy desk in a month of Sundays.

CONTEXTUAL

The car has been sitting in the garage for a month of Sundays, so it will not start.

You will not finish that massive pile of paperwork in a month of Sundays if you keep checking your phone every five minutes.

The neighbors have not painted their wooden fence in a month of Sundays, so the color is starting to peel off.

COMPLEX

Having spent a month of Sundays waiting for the project to finish, the team finally grew impatient with the constant delays.


disputed origin

Probably a reference to the passing of as many Sundays as there are days in a month, a duration of between twenty-eight and thirty-one weeks. The phrase suggests a temporal extension that is technically quantifiable but socially tiresome. It likely draws its weight from the traditional character of the day, as a month composed entirely of Sundays would offer a considerable stretch of quietude.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    any given Sunday

    On a particular day, an unpredictable outcome can occur.

  2. 02

    from here to Sunday

    Everywhere; all over the place.

  3. 03

    month in, month out

    During every month; continuously.

  4. 04

    never in a month of Sundays

    At no time whatsoever.

  5. 05

    six ways to Sunday

    Thoroughly, completely, in every way imaginable.

  6. 06

    Sunday best

    A person's finest clothing, especially the clothes one reserves to wear to church on Sunday.

  7. 07

    Sunday driver

    One who drives slowly or inexpertly, as for leisure or sightseeing.

  8. 08

    when two Sundays come together

    never

Last updated August 10, 2026