recreation 1 of 2

noun (1)

ˌre-krē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce recreation (audio)
Definition of recreationnext
1
as in relaxation
activity engaged in to amuse oneself decided to take a bike tour of the island for recreation and relaxation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in entertainment
someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment bowling is great recreation on a rainy afternoon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in amusement
the act or activity of providing pleasure or amusement especially for the public water parks have become a significant part of the recreation business

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in sport
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure as with other men of his class and income, his principal recreations were polo and yachting

Synonyms & Similar Words

re-creation

2 of 2

noun (2)

as in restoration

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of recreation
Noun
Adraina is the superintendent of Gardner’s parks and recreation department, and Matt was once an educator and worked in sales. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 The property is a blend of high-end finishes and backcountry recreation, with miles of private trails and water features that aim to make the land feel like its own getaway. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
Noun
The park, for instance, has built a 30-foot-long re-creation of SoFi Stadium, and elsewhere has created brick versions of a host of soccer stars. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 In Disclosure Day, this manifests itself in a third act that at times feels like a cinematic therapy session, as the characters all converge toward the physical re-creation of a past Daniel and Margaret have forgotten. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for recreation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recreation
  1. relaxation
  2. entertainment
  3. amusement
  4. sport
  5. restoration
  6. fun
  7. diversion
  8. pursuit
Noun
  • The brand focuses on adaptogens and nootropics designed around mood, relaxation and social connection, with a botanical, wellness-forward flavor profile.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 22, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
  • The two-story location hosts five treatment rooms, including one double; a relaxation lounge, and boutique carrying Dior perfumes, skin care and makeup.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 22 July 2026
Definition of relaxation
Noun
  • Though Wasserman hasn’t been charged with any crime, the exchanges took place before Maxwell had been charged with any wrongdoing, and the LA28 board backed Wasserman, the entertainment mogul sold his agency after several prominent artists fled.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • The fifth-floor suite includes a custom bar sink and entertainment nook ready-made for gatherings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
Definition of entertainment
Noun
  • Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, a combined amusement and water park that makes an easy add-on to any early season game-day itinerary.
    — Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson posted a selfie alongside his teammate Arvid Lindblad on an EasyJet flight out of Belgium last Sunday, sparking amusement among fans who had not expected two F1 drivers to put faith in the budget airline.
    — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of amusement
Noun
  • With a spotlight on youth sports nationwide, many young athletes forge their identity around sports and dedicate a large portion of their free time to improvement.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • Using valuable land Candidate Stacy Lake said that the sports complex is valuable for future development because of how much flexibility the large site could have in its potential future use.
    — Ilana Arougheti July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of sport
Noun
  • Del Toro returned to Cannes Film Festival earlier this year to debut a 4K restoration of the film, which was met with several minutes of applause.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 25 July 2026
  • Within hours, school district officials brought in dozens of people from Servpro, a cleanup and restoration company, who began using hoses to siphon water out of the main entrance of the Palm into the parking lot.
    — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
Definition of restoration
Noun
  • Also, the texture, shapes and colors of the candy make for a fun experience to sample, pick and mix up your own bag.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • The cruise concludes in Fort Lauderdale, but the fun doesn’t have to.
    — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of fun
Noun
  • Fans rightfully mocked the dancing cars mounted on robot arms that played during an inexplicable diversion on Universal Studios Hollywood’s Studio Tour.
    — Robert Niles, Oc Register, 21 July 2026
  • Earlier this month, a separate United flight made an unexpected diversion after pilots reportedly noticed unusual vibrations coming from one of the aircraft’s engines.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of diversion
Noun
  • While the researchers describe the lifestyles of Blue Zoners as simple but highly active, in general, a lot of their pursuits were cognitively based.
    — Refractor, Refractor, 27 July 2026
  • Longevity cannot be positioned only as an elite pursuit for people who are already well.
    — Billee Howard, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of pursuit

Browse Nearby Words

re-creating
recreation
re-creation
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Cite this Entry

“Recreation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recreation. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on recreation

Nglish: Translation of recreation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about recreation

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