recreational

adjective

rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al ˌre-krē-ˈā-shnəl How to pronounce recreational (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Officials have invested time and money into setting up legal cannabis programs; by levying taxes on legal marijuana sales, states have turned recreational cannabis into a windfall. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 Since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp for industrial purposes, some manufacturers have exploited a loophole to create compounds similar to recreational cannabis THC and sell them legally as hemp products. Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 But what was once considered a recreational toy has become the basis for a major international sport — disc golf — that is enjoyed annually by millions of people. Nate Heinold, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025 An unusual rescue played out in a North Florida river when Fish and Wildlife officers discovered a dog had been struck by a recreational boat’s spinning propeller, state officials say. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recreational

Word History

Etymology

recreation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recreational was in 1656

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recreational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recreational. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on recreational

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!