pastime
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of pastime
1480–90; earlier pas ( s ) e tyme, translation of Middle French passe-temps
Explanation
A pastime is any hobby or activity that you do to pass the time. Usually, people enjoy their pastimes. When baseball was more popular, it was called the "national pastime," because so many people enjoyed watching or playing it. Baseball is still a major pastime, as are many other sports. Other pastimes include listening to music, playing music, watching TV, playing video games, playing with your dog, and any kind of hobby. Whenever you're awake and not working, you're probably enjoying a pastime.
Vocabulary lists containing pastime
Baseball: A Lexicon
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Words for the World Series
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This Week in Words: November 11 - 17, 2017
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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.
Watching these A.I. edits became a pastime for her friend group; they’d share the videos at school and at sleepovers.
From Slate • May 12, 2026
Golf has long carried a reputation as a pastime reserved for the privileged - with the average age of a golfer in many traditional club settings in the 50s.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
With the rise of junk journaling content on social media, the once solo pastime has turned into a lively social scene.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026
But they’re also the world’s most profitable pastime: Worldwide, videogames made more than $180 billion in 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
Then he demonstrated the energy and rambunctiousness of a child at a new pastime.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
