recreational

adjective

rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al ˌre-krē-ˈā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of recreation

a recreational area

recreational activities

2

: of or relating to recreational drugs or their use

a recreational drug user

Colorado's burgeoning marijuana industry had struggled under its own astonishing success since legal recreational sales began Jan. 1.

—David Migoya

recreationally adverb

Examples of recreational in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The home features two wood-burning fireplaces, a mudroom and a recreational room, according to the listing. —Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025

With its abundant sunshine and excellent weather, Orlando is a pleasant place for retirees and offers many recreational activities, including music venues, galleries, and, of course, theme parks. —Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025

The latter has a significant effect on someone’s long-term functioning and is a rare outcome from recreational fear. —Delaney Rebernik, Time, 27 Oct. 2025

Once the production and sale of recreational liquor became legal again in 1933, the spirit surged in the mid-20th century, slumped in the 1980s and then boomed in the 2010s. —Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

recreation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing recreational

• recreational drug
• recreational vehicle

Rhymes for recreational

• aspirational
• avocational
• calculational
• combinational
• computational
• conformational
• confrontational
• congregational
• conversational
• correlational
• deformational
• derivational