leisure

noun lei·sure \ ˈlē-zhər , ˈle- , ˈlā- \

Definition of leisure

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

2 :ease, leisureliness

—

leisure

adjective

— at leisure or at one's leisure

:in one's leisure time :at one's convenience

read the book at her leisure

See leisure defined for English-language learners

See leisure defined for kids

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 of leisure from the Web

Natural hair is so much more than a fashion statement, or a costume to throw on and off at your leisure.

— teryn payne, Teen Vogue, "How to Be a Good Ally at Afropunk," 25 Aug. 2017
Henry Moses Aquatic Center ONGOING Lap pool, leisure pool with slides, water spray play, lazy river, concessions, daily through Sept. 4, 1719 S.E. Maple Valley Highway, Renton; $3-$15 (425-430-6780 or rentonwa.gov).

— madeline mckenzie, The Seattle Times, "Community calendar: festivals, fairs and more," 24 Aug. 2017
This ranking represents the 10 destinations in which the U.S. dollar has gained over the last year and what a traveler can expect to pay for dining, hotels, shopping and leisure activities.

— hugo martin, chicagotribune.com, "Canceling a hotel reservation is getting tougher at Hilton and Marriott," 2 Aug. 2017
The image of a row of women idly flipping through magazines under a hair dryer hood became a symbol of postwar prosperity and of women’s new leisure time.

— maria teresa hart, The Atlantic, "The Hair Dryer, Freedom’s Appliance," 1 Aug. 2017
After the misery of war, such extravagance felt restorative to many, a return to Parisian luxury and leisure.

— rhonda garelick, The Cut, "Why It Matters That Melania Wore Dior in Paris Last Week," 21 July 2017
Between May 26 and June 3, 1940, troops were evacuated via hundreds of boats, including fishing and leisure crafts, thanks to the help of civilians who risked their lives to save others.

— emma sarran webster, Teen Vogue, "Dunkirk: What Really Happened," 20 July 2017
Laurence Xu is a Chinese designer who often shows at Paris Fashion Week, Travel + Leisure reports.

— tess koman, Cosmopolitan, "Airline Debuts New Haute Couture Uniforms for Flight Attendants at Paris Fashion Week," 10 July 2017
Hotels say much of the increase is coming from a growing number of leisure travelers.

— shivani vora, New York Times, "In Milan, Tours for Beer, History and, of Course, Fashion," 6 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'leisure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.