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

In 2020, the City Council agreed to allow recreational cannabis businesses and approved the first delivery-only retail sales. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026

The participants range from marine and freshwater biologists and other scientists to highly skilled recreational divers and documentary filmmakers. —ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026

Major recreational uses include hiking, river access, boating, fishing, camping, mountain biking and limited hiking. —Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026

The new eligibility policy is not retroactive and does not apply to recreational sports programs. —Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 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