leisurely

1 of 3

adverb

lei·​sure·​ly ˈlē-zhər-lē 

ˈle-, 

ˈlā-

: without haste : deliberately

leisurely

2 of 3

adjective

: characterized by leisure : unhurried

a leisurely pace

leisureliness noun

leisureliness

3 of 3

noun

lei·​sure·​li·​ness

-lēnə̇s, 

-lin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being leisurely

elegance, urbanity, a quill-pen leisureliness … are not much valued in our day

—Louis Kronenberger

broad streets, an almost southern leisureliness, and fewer tall buildings than are seen in most cities

—American Guide Series: Indiana

Synonyms of leisurely

Adverb

• slowly

Adjective

• slow
• unhurried

Examples of leisurely in a Sentence

Adverb

the old hound dog leisurely sauntered over to his water bowl to take a drink

Adjective

They strolled along at a leisurely pace.

proceeding in a leisurely fashion

After a leisurely lunch, we went to see a movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

An activity that may seem leisurely, such as swimming in a river, could end up more dangerous if someone encounters an unexpected rip current. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 June 2026

Sink rate Some swimming pool dive toys sink immediately, whereas others are designed to leisurely float to the bottom of the pool. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026

Adjective

That was when the lensman captured the social set at their leisurely and often strikingly dressed best. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 26 June 2026

Perhaps the biggest problem with this movie is that Supergirl (Helen Slater) seems terribly leisurely about her fateful mission. — Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1604, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

leisurely

adjective

lei·​sure·​ly

ˈlēzh-ər-lē, 

ˈlezh-, 

ˈlāzh-

: characterized by leisure : unhurried

a leisurely pace

leisureliness noun

leisurely adverb