as in break
a short period of time when you are able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed
The weekend provided a nice respite from the pressures of her job. a temporary respite
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Recent Examples of respite
From fans of the Fitzgeralds to those celebrating a milestone, such as an anniversary, babymoon, or simply a weekend away from the kids, the rooms at Zelda Dearest provide the perfect respite for a getaway in Asheville.
—
Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
The story Mike tells is emotional respite for the Hawkins kids.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
That hot streak left the Pozzuolis, who juggle two children, Eddie and Vinny, with little time for respite.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Californians were gifted a brief respite before a wet New Year’s Day.
—Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for respite
Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
The story Mike tells is emotional respite for the Hawkins kids.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
That hot streak left the Pozzuolis, who juggle two children, Eddie and Vinny, with little time for respite.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 3 Jan. 2026
Californians were gifted a brief respite before a wet New Year’s Day.
—Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for respite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respite
Noun
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Minnesota led 71-54 at the halftime break.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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Hoover settled down as the game wore on and led TCU on a scoring drive after the halftime break.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Federal lawmakers are trying to avoid another closure that would lead to furloughs of thousands of federal workers and a pause in some government operations.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
6 Jan. 2026
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Disneyland will restart its 70th anniversary celebration with a new menu lineup designed to tempt foodies and keep them coming back for more after pressing pause on the yearlong party during the Halloween and Christmas seasons.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Emilee Chinn / Getty Images Activity hit a lull after Edwin Díaz was introduced as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new closer 26 days ago.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Hornick, the diner’s owner, said that despite the Logan Square spot struggling for many months — some days having a two-hour lull without a single customer — servers would turn a switch immediately as the door swung open.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Respite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respite. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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