leisure
Americannoun
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leisures
plural
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freedom from the demands of work or duty.
She looked forward to retirement and a life of leisure.
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time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sports, etc..
Most evenings he had the leisure in which to follow his interests.
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unhurried ease.
a work written with leisure and grace.
adjective
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free or unoccupied.
leisure hours.
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having leisure.
the leisure class.
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(of clothing) suitable to or adapted for wear during leisure; casual.
a leisure jacket.
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designed or intended for recreational use.
leisure products like bowling balls and video games.
idioms
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at one's leisure, when one has free time; at one's convenience.
Take this book and read it at your leisure.
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at leisure,
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with free or unrestricted time.
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without haste; slowly.
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out of work; unemployed.
Because of the failure of the magazine, many experienced editors are now at leisure.
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noun
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time or opportunity for ease, relaxation, etc
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( as modifier )
leisure activities
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ease or leisureliness
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having free time for ease, relaxation, etc
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not occupied or engaged
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without hurrying
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when one has free time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of leisure
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English leisir, from Old French, noun use of infinitive, ultimately from Latin licēre “to be allowed”
Explanation
Leisure is time off, spare time, sweet sweet freedom from the demands of work. It's like playtime for grown-ups. Leisure is time away from commitments like work or school. Leisure activities might include windsailing, golfing, crocheting a portrait of Betsy Ross, staring at one's navel, whatever. It's the freedom to do what the heck you want. It's not time for punching the clock or writing a paper on the role of matchsticks in the Industrial Revolution; it's kick-your-shoes-off time. If you read a book at your leisure, there's no rush. Leisure is more rare for some than others. "The billionaire was a woman of leisure," but leisure time is a luxury for most.
Vocabulary lists containing leisure
The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
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"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On social media, parents are showing trial runs of their early-morning routines for the school year, with regimens that are a far cry from the leisure of summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Wellbeing Square in Newhaven, which brings together primary care, community wellbeing and leisure services in one location, officially opened on Thursday.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
This has weighed on leisure and hospitality employment in US border communities, found Philip Luck of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Similarly, leisure lounges often include one drink and one L.A.-inspired food item but may not have a direct view of competition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
He brought in another man who turned out to be the doctor, and my leisure time was over.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
“In those days, there weren’t video games or these other leisures kids have nowadays,” Gerard said.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 1, 2016
To meet the change, Davis sold 100 theaters, wisely followed his customers into new leisures.
From Time Magazine Archive
You would not hear me, At many leisures I propos'd.
From Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare
Among the many that mine eyes have seen, Not one whose flame my heart so much as warmed, Or my affection put to th' smallest teen, Or any of my leisures ever charmed.
From A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare
The long leisures, the introspective habits, the vita contemplativa so conspicuous in the old Catholic discipline, grow very rare.
From The Map of Life Conduct and Character by William Edward Hartpole Lecky
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
