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
Relevance
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
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
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
The trail encourages visitors who come to Porter County for beaches, hiking and outdoor recreation to extend their stay by exploring local arts, history, theater and cultural attractions.
—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
One of these next summers, the cabin is to come down and be replaced with new construction, maybe even the re-creation of a big stone fireplace.
—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for recreation
Noun
Whether your 9-to-5 job involves a rare combination of manual record keeping and precarious wilderness travel, or your idea of outdoor recreation includes journaling your day while remaining at the ready for whatever nature hurls at you, the all-new Pen-metheus equips you for it all.
—
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
The trail encourages visitors who come to Porter County for beaches, hiking and outdoor recreation to extend their stay by exploring local arts, history, theater and cultural attractions.
—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Noun
Victims of these scams are then greeted by an accurate re-creation of the person’s voice spinning a yarn that involves an urgent need for cash.
—
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
One of these next summers, the cabin is to come down and be replaced with new construction, maybe even the re-creation of a big stone fireplace.
—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for recreation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recreation
Noun
-
Emerging neuroscience suggests that silence does more than create relaxation.
-
Phil Schiller As for what's next, Schiller says some rest and relaxation.
Noun
-
Keywords provides tech and creative services for the video game and entertainment industries.
-
Sony is one of the most storied technology and entertainment companies in the world with IP spanning across films, tv, music, and games.
Noun
-
The fallout of that inquiry—to which Joe and Angela gamely acquiesce—generates its share of laughs, though our amusement comes at a cost.
-
Yet my dominant reaction at this moment is one of amusement.
Noun
-
As interest in Swift's wedding continues to grow, fans have been eager to learn who could be among the guests, including celebrities from both the music industry and the world of professional sports.
-
In addition to the autopsy, Burris said Martin’s brain was immediately sent to be examined posthumously for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can affect regions of the brain involved with regulating behavior and emotions and is linked to contact sports such as football.
Noun
-
However, it was then lost for many years, thought to have been destroyed in World War II, before its recent rediscovery and painstaking restoration by la Cinémathèque française, who acquired it for their collection in 2017.
-
Below, see the trailer for the 4k restoration of Sherman’s March.
Noun
-
Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby who was ensnared in controversy in 1999 when televangelist Jerry Falwell accused it of being gay (and yet rumors still linger on…), led moves with Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po all joining in on the fun.
-
The Orange Walk put on by devotees of the Netherlands national team — and more than a few locals joining in for fun — was a party from start to finish, and everyone was involved.
Noun
-
In Santa Clara, the letter said, a woman on mental health diversion for carjacking proceeded to steal another car and slam it into an outside table at a restaurant, leaving one person dead and others injured.
-
Chip smuggling or diversion could eliminate the bottleneck, which many experts say is a critical national security bulwark.
Noun
-
Yet The Bear has always been equally attuned to the tension at the heart of that pursuit.
-
The pursuit lasted around five minutes before the suspect successfully evaded officers.
Cite this Entry
“Recreation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recreation. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
