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 Canada, marijuana has been legal for both recreational and medicinal use since 2018. —Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 23 Feb. 2026

The overflows have triggered a number of recreational and shellfish harvesting advisories along the Potomac. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026

The girl was with family members taking part in recreational activities outside the boundaries of Brighton Ski Resort in Brighton, in the mountains east of Salt Lake City, when the avalanche occurred, the spokesperson said. —Lindsay Good, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026

The data center site is also a common recreational area for people, Hoff said, with a popular bike trail running through the valley. —Kansas City Star, 20 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