recreational

adjective

rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al ˌre-krē-ˈā-sh(ə-)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

On a recent Saturday morning, the gym at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta in Dunwoody felt more like a testing center than a recreational space. —Lia Picard, AJC.com, 2 Mar. 2026

Services include medical screenings, infant care packages as well as classrooms and recreational spaces, ICE said. —Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026

Services include medical screenings, infant care packages as well as classrooms and recreational spaces. —ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026

Situated near the banks of the Tennessee River, guests have easy access to attractions in Knoxville, including a variety of historic landmarks, outdoor recreational activities, and a vibrant arts, theatre and culinary scene. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026

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