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
Create a respite from the distractions of your home by setting up a small and soothing backyard nook in your garden's prettiest spot.
—
Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
Presumably, Cubans would welcome almost anything that brought respite from those circumstances.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 20 May 2026
Firefighters got some respite in the evening, when the winds shifted, bringing in a cooler, more moist ocean breeze.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 19 May 2026
To get through the simmering season (and often the months surrounding it too), so many Southerners rely on air conditioning for respite from the weather.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for respite
Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
Presumably, Cubans would welcome almost anything that brought respite from those circumstances.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 20 May 2026
Firefighters got some respite in the evening, when the winds shifted, bringing in a cooler, more moist ocean breeze.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 19 May 2026
To get through the simmering season (and often the months surrounding it too), so many Southerners rely on air conditioning for respite from the weather.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for respite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respite
Noun
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De Zerbi was forced to play ‘keeper Antonin Kinsky in his first match after Vicario underwent hernia surgery at the start of the March international break.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
At day-break, a group of hostile Wendats and Potawatomis killed and mutilated several British soldiers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
After a brief pause in the fourth inning, Will Smith led off the fifth inning with the Dodgers’ fourth homer of the night.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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Eastern Ukraine — There is a whirr, a flurry of dust, a pause as the grainy image recalibrates, and then a devastating blast.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Back then, the economy saw a lull in productivity growth as a transformative new technology took hold.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
-
That lull is deceptive and even stronger winds can quickly resume.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The proof was in my Oura ring sleep score—96% and optimal restfulness.—
Brianna Peters,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But restfulness dropped—my body noticed the break.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Respite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respite. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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