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.
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
After lunch, take a leisurely lap around the water and enjoy another one of Minneapolis’ charming neighborhood green spaces.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
To begin with, there’s its ingratiating style, leisurely but leavened with wit and chutzpah, as well as Fiedler’s pervasive disdain for the sentimental and ersatz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Wardley, in his first appearance since being upgraded to world champion, soaked in the atmosphere with a leisurely entrance.
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
Eventually I walked over to the TV and flipped it on, taking a leisurely stroll through the channels on my way to the Sox game.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
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.
