leisurely
Americanadjective
-
acting, proceeding, or done without haste; unhurried; deliberate.
a leisurely conversation.
-
showing or suggesting ample leisure; unhurried.
a leisurely manner.
adverb
adjective
adverb
Synonym Usage
See slow.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of leisurely
First recorded in 1480–90; earlier laiserly (adverb); leisure + -ly
Explanation
Leisurely is a word that describes something that is unhurried and easygoing, like the leisurely bike ride you may take home when you know have a lot of work waiting for you there. Whether it's an adjective or adverb, leisurely is in no rush to finish; instead it strolls down the lane slowly in its relaxed, laid-back way, and it probably stops to smell the flowers as it goes. If you work at a leisurely pace, you probably don't have a supervisor breathing down your neck to see how much work you’re doing at every second of the day. Leisurely is often found on the same page as pleasure.
Vocabulary lists containing leisurely
Nothing But the Truth
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Languor Management: Synonyms for "Lazy"
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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.
There will be occasional flurries of action and tense situations, but it’s a leisurely watch — though not slow, in the pejorative sense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
Priced according to your choice of entrée, brunch includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert, all portioned for a leisurely meal.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
The food system in the U.S. — largely built around speed and convenience — doesn’t exactly align with home-cooked meals leisurely shared with those you love.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Time to downshift to the more leisurely part of your evening—and maybe even to the start of your holiday weekend.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
The man trembled with expectation as Joe leisurely smoothed the food with the back of his spoon.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
