pastime

noun

pas·​time ˈpas-ˌtīm 

: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion

Her favorite pastime is gardening.

Baseball has been a national pastime for many years.

Examples of pastime in a Sentence

Baseball has been a national pastime for years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Catching up on meeting notes, sifting through troves of data, and even reading books in their pastime have all become optimized by AI. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Today’s Theme This crossword is a tribute to Scrabble, another beloved pastime of word nerds. — New York Times, 24 Sep. 2026

The pastime has been linked to reducing stress, improving relaxation, and providing a better understanding of others. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026

But our party cannot afford to keep being led by a man who sees politics as a pastime to build his own personal power. — Caitlin Ogden, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pastime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• nighttime

Kids Definition

pastime

noun

pas·​time ˈpas-ˌtīm 

: something that helps to make time pass agreeably