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

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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
One person who could make a huge impact on how books and other recreation equipment were treated was the theater’s commander, General Douglas MacArthur. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 Physical activity was assessed through structured interviews covering moderate and vigorous activities at work, at home and during recreation. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
The original is a minor Harding work, Bacon said, explaining why judges might not have recognized Allan’s submission as a re-creation. — News Desk, Artforum, 24 June 2026 Freedom250 is promising attendees an interactive experience at the state pavilions, from Michigan's mechanical milking cow to Florida's re-creation of a Spanish fort honoring explorer Juan Ponce de León. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 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
  • In addition to that central pool, the spa complex contains a tepidarium (warm relaxation room), Byzantine hammam (steam room), salt cave, Watsu pool, yoga and fitness rooms, and an area for massages and other treatments.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Then came the surprising part The team used muon spin relaxation to look for extremely weak magnetic fields inside the material.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of relaxation
Noun
  • Spin is the result of eight years of research and development started in 2016 and handled by a team of about 10 tech, fashion and entertainment professionals in addition to Albrighi and Kuo, who serve as co-chief executive officers of the company.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • K-pop has historically been an industry that holds idols — the name given to pop stars in the Korean entertainment industry — to an extremely high standard.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of entertainment
Noun
  • This really feels like a Bahrain GP Ever since F1 announced its plan to hold the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, the naming quirk around the 3,700 miles between the two countries has been a source of online amusement.
    — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Arcade games, go-karts, amusement rides, and more from Fun Spot America are all up for grabs following the Fayetteville park's recent closure.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of amusement
Noun
  • Separately, the Dream earlier this year struck an agreement with women’s sports investment firm Monarch Collective to operate their merchandise business.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Whereas collectability, value and investability of sports cards can rise and fall on the real-world performance of athletes, both trading-card genres share common factors.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sport
Noun
  • State agencies, including the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, have helped local officials with damage assessments and power restoration, among other tasks.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Insider tip The hotel will be closing on January 1, 2027, for an extensive restoration and is expected to reopen in 2029.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of restoration
Noun
  • Guests are welcome to contribute to the fun by helping forage for ingredients.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Sieler added another at the end of the second quarter while edge Chop Robinson joined in on the fun in the third quarter.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fun
Noun
  • Lopez’s mother, Allison Lyman, and other family members had pressed state lawmakers to change California’s vehicular manslaughter law to prohibit diversion in such cases.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Concierge specials such as creating your own gin at a nearby Palma distillery or watching espadrilles being made in Palma’s Olivar market are original diversions.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of diversion
Noun
  • The department maintains an early intervention system that flags officers based on risk factors, such as a relatively high volume of civilian complaints, frequent use of force, and involvement in preventable traffic collisions or pursuits.
    — Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Vanity and the sometimes painful pursuit of beauty have never really been gendered ideas.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about recreation

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