1
: freedom provided by the cessation of activities
especially
: time free from work or duties
Increase of leisure, diminution of hustle are the ends to be sought … —
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell 2
leisure
adjective
see also at leisure
Examples of leisure in a Sentence
I don't have much time for leisure.
upon retiring, the elderly couple looked forward to a life of well-deserved leisure
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, jobs are growing in the health care industry, but an increasing number of workers in the leisure, transportation and manufacturing sectors are out of a job.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Granahan’s story resonates with many San Diego County seniors who’ve discovered that retirement’s promise of endless leisure can sometimes feel more like house arrest in pajamas.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Many pictures feature Black subjects swimming or playing in water, a subtle reclamation of a leisure activity that has historically excluded some Black Americans, and a nod to a dark history of the Middle Passage.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
It’s filled with casual and leisure apparel and accessories such as Fair Isle sweaters, checkered overshirts and corduroy pants.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leisure
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David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Granahan’s story resonates with many San Diego County seniors who’ve discovered that retirement’s promise of endless leisure can sometimes feel more like house arrest in pajamas.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Many pictures feature Black subjects swimming or playing in water, a subtle reclamation of a leisure activity that has historically excluded some Black Americans, and a nod to a dark history of the Middle Passage.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
It’s filled with casual and leisure apparel and accessories such as Fair Isle sweaters, checkered overshirts and corduroy pants.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leisure
Cite this Entry
“Leisure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leisure. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: freedom from work or duties
3
: time at one's command : convenience
has the leisure to pursue a hobby
leisure
adjective
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