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.
A documentary on Fox Sports 1 explores the connection—in the importance of ritual, shared experience and more—between religion and America’s pastime.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 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
Vast news deserts with no local coverage exist across the country, and independent reporting of any issue, concern, pastime, government action, youth activity or local PTA is nearly impossible to find.
From Salon • Feb. 6, 2026
It’s practically a national pastime to complain about the media.
From Slate • Jan. 5, 2026
Long strolls were her favorite pastime, and that particular afternoon, the temperature was breezy enough to prevent her from getting too hot in her coat and head scarf.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
