recline

verb

re·​cline ri-ˈklīn 

reclined; reclining

transitive verb

: to cause or permit to incline backwards

intransitive verb

1

: to lean or incline backwards

2

: repose, lie

Examples of recline in a Sentence

She was reclining on the sofa, watching TV.

The theater has reclining seats.

He reclined his seat so that he could nap more comfortably.

Recent Examples on the Web

Midway, his son, Alexander Stirling Calder, posed three reclining Art Deco figures in a fountain, representing the three main waterways of the city. —Chloe Schama, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025

Those few extra inches are the difference between sitting pretty and reclining in bliss. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025

LeCroy is ready for the transition and has the perfect reclining chair waiting for them. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 10 Sep. 2025

The new service, which will launch in November, will feature 21 seats on a double-decker bus (18 on the upper level and three on the lower level), each of which recline into a fully lie-flat bed, according to the company. —Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French recliner, from Latin reclinare, from re- + clinare to bend — more at lean

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for recline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine

Kids Definition

recline

verb

re·​cline ri-ˈklīn 

reclined; reclining

1

: to lean or cause to lean backwards

2

: repose entry 1 sense 2, lie

reclining on the sofa