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
In the days and weeks after the flood, as strangers turned into friends and neighbors turned into ports of respite for those who lost so much in the tumult, I was moved by the resilience of the community.
—
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
And, weather permitting, there’s no better place than Odell Brewing Co.’s patio, which offers shady respite, occasional live music and daily food trucks.
—Susan Stapleton, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
With the possible exception of Washington, D.C., these cities should also offer a respite from some of the cold in the northeast.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 30 July 2025
And the high humidity will mean that temperatures can’t fall much overnight, offering people little respite from the dangerous conditions.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for respite
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 15 July 2025
And, weather permitting, there’s no better place than Odell Brewing Co.’s patio, which offers shady respite, occasional live music and daily food trucks.
—Susan Stapleton, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
With the possible exception of Washington, D.C., these cities should also offer a respite from some of the cold in the northeast.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 30 July 2025
And the high humidity will mean that temperatures can’t fall much overnight, offering people little respite from the dangerous conditions.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for respite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respite
Noun
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This can significantly improve efficiency and reduce errors, making the 15-minute breaks a worthwhile investment in long-term productivity.—
Nancy Pulciano,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
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Despite the hiatus, Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson and Carlos Pena Jr. stayed friends during the break and the foursome reunited in 2021 with new music and a tour.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The pause will not impact already existing valid visas, according to the memo, and some applications — including official and C-3 diplomatic visas — will continue to be processed.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Trim Non-Customer-Facing Costs Start by trimming non-customer-facing costs, including rent and travel, and pause hiring.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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It’s already been four years since the last James Bond movie, Daniel Craig’s Bond swan song, No Time to Die, was released in theaters, and, in that lull, there’s still no new actor cast as James Bond.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
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His teammates have tapered off into a midsummer lull, though.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Respite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respite. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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