recreational
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to recreation.
recreational facilities in the park.
-
(of a drug or medication) used for recreation and enjoyment rather than to treat a medical condition.
recreational drugs such as marijuana and alcohol.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or used for recreation
recreational facilities
-
(of a drug) taken for pleasure rather than for medical reasons or because of an addiction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of recreational
First recorded in 1650–60; recreation ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Something is recreational if you do it just for fun. If you're not a professional golfer but love the game, it's recreational. Anything you do because you enjoy it — rather than because you are obligated to do it — is recreational. Hiking, reading, and visiting museums can all be described this way. Recreational means "something done for recreation," and recreation, which was originally "the curing of a sick person," combines the Latin re, "again" and creare, "to create." Today we think of recreational activities as curing our boredom.
Vocabulary lists containing recreational
Least Presidential Vocabulary Used by Presidential Candidates during the GOP Debate (Sept. 16, 2015)
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Courage to Soar
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Out of My Mind
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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.
Ancient communities also relied on cannabis for practical purposes, including producing fiber and oil, making it difficult to distinguish these uses from medicinal or recreational consumption.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026
Flag football was first invented during World War II as a recreational sport for the military to avoid risk of injuries while playing full-contact football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
Jewish community organizations, schools and settlement houses, which provided immigrants with educational and recreational opportunities, put together basketball teams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
The bird - Beaky Junior - hatched in a nest in a secret location in the Moffat Hills, at a site used for recreational gamebird shooting.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
My hands dig around in my closet until I find the insulated winter gear Cinna made for me for recreational use on the Victory Tour.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
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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.
