recess
Americannoun
-
recesses
plural
-
temporary withdrawal or cessation from the usual work or activity.
-
a period of such withdrawal.
-
a receding part or space, as a bay or alcove in a room.
-
an indentation in a line or extent of coast, hills, forest, etc.
-
recesses, a secluded or inner area or part.
in the recesses of the palace.
verb (used with object)
-
recesses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recessed,
past participle, past
-
recessing
present participle
-
to place or set in a recess.
-
to set or form as or like a recess; make a recess or recesses in.
to recess a wall.
-
to suspend or defer for a recess.
to recess the Senate.
verb (used without object)
-
recesses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recessed,
past participle, past
-
recessing
present participle
noun
-
a space, such as a niche or alcove, set back or indented
-
(often plural) a secluded or secret place
recesses of the mind
-
a cessation of business, such as the closure of Parliament during a vacation
-
anatomy a small cavity or depression in a bodily organ, part, or structure
-
a break between classes at a school
verb
-
(tr) to place or set (something) in a recess
-
(tr) to build a recess or recesses in (a wall, building, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
recesssimple
-
recessessimple
-
have recessedperfect
-
has recessedperfect
-
am recessingprogressive
-
are recessingprogressive
-
is recessingprogressive
-
have been recessingperfect progressive
-
has been recessingperfect progressive
Past
-
recessedsimple
-
had recessedperfect
-
was recessingprogressive
-
were recessingprogressive
-
had been recessingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recess
1510–20; < Latin recessus a withdrawal, receding part, equivalent to recēd ( ere ) to recede 1 + -tus suffix of v. action, with dt > ss
Explanation
Recess is a break from doing something, like work or school. Almost everyone looks forward to taking a recess — even if you don't have access to monkey bars. Recess comes from the Latin word recessus, meaning "a going back, retreat." You may have heard children talking about recess as their favorite part of school. This meaning of the word refers to the break in a school day for children to play, usually outside in a playground. As a verb, recess means to take a break at the end of a session — usually in a court proceeding: "The judge announced the court would recess until the following day."
Vocabulary lists containing recess
Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Frindle
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
myPerspectives 10.1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The Legislature is in recess and the 120 members of the state Senate and Assembly are in their districts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
The Senate had left for August recess without a vote on the bill when the president called top crypto executives, including Armstrong, to a meeting at the White House that was streamed online.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
But it is highly unlikely the recess will be delayed or a special session convened in the coming days.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
The US Congress returned from recess Monday facing urgent warnings that artificial intelligence could spin dangerously out of control -- and little agreement over whether, or how, Washington should intervene.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Often, during recess, while the other boys played outside, Neel devoured Bangla poetry and English novels that he found in the school’s small library.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
Herzog’s adventurous spirit has led him to explore the furthest reaches of the globe, but also inward to map the strangest recesses of the heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
What causes this correlation between congressional recesses and the stock market?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
In the dark recesses of the economy, price pressures are bubbling up and foretelling another wave of inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
Once hidden in the dark recesses of the web, this content is now easy to find.
From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026
If they asked Elizabeth to walk to school with them, and maybe talked to her at recesses for a while, until she got around to making fourth-grade friends, that would be enough.
From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Medics whisked him to safety, gave him a pain blocker, and placed him in a bed with a recessed, plush mat that molded to his body.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
The remaining bedrooms boast recessed lighting, mirrored closets, and private outdoor spaces.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
Behind every roof beam is recessed LED lighting, with individual lighting control for every strand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
And, ingeniously, three ancient Roman pavement-mosaics, recessed, are now visible beneath traversable glass floors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2025
Mulch pointed his gaze at the recessed cameras, half hidden in the swirling architrave.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
The Court has about a dozen cases left on its docket to get through before recessing for the summer.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
The House and the Senate are set to take their last votes today before recessing for the year.
From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025
After voting down a drug ordinance in June, and then pledging something to replace that defeated plan, the council is recessing for the rest of August on Friday.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2023
In one painting, “Three Sisters,” the faces of matriarchs from three distinct communities and time periods intersect, emerging and recessing in the frame, with optical illusions created by the overlapping lines and colors.
From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 2021
The recessing tool consists simply of a slender boring-bar held in the turret and carrying a cutter suitably located about midway the bar.
From Turning and Boring A specialized treatise for machinists, students in the industrial and engineering schools, and apprentices, on turning and boring methods, etc. by Franklin D. Jones
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.
