respite
Americannoun
-
respites
plural
-
a delay or cessation for a time, especially of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief.
to toil without respite.
-
temporary suspension of the execution of a person condemned to death; reprieve.
- Synonyms:
- stay, postponement
noun
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a pause from exertion; interval of rest
-
a temporary delay
-
a temporary stay of execution; reprieve
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of respite
First recorded in 1200–50; (for the noun) Middle English respit, from Old French, from Latin respectus “action of looking back, consideration, regard”; (for the verb) Middle English respiten, from Old French respitier, from Latin respectāre “to await, keep looking around,” from respicere “to look back”; see respect
Explanation
A respite is a break from something that's difficult or unpleasant. If you're cramming for exams, take an occasional walk to give yourself a respite from the intensity. Respite may look like it rhymes with despite, but this word has a stress on its first syllable (RES-pit). It comes from the Latin word respectus, meaning refuge, but we almost always use respite to describe a time, not a place, of relief. If you've been fighting with your partner, a visit from a friend might offer a brief respite from the argument, but the fight will pick up again when she leaves.
Vocabulary lists containing respite
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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List 4
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"The Raven"
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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.
See Examples For:
"I've been trying to get some overnight respite as I want to be a mum to my girls as well as Zac," she said.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Personal computer sales are sagging—but AI might provide a respite, at least for manufacturers’ pocketbooks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
These breaks are a welcome respite from long stretches of sitting and screen-based learning, which is common in some classrooms despite questions about its efficacy.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
In the era of budget cuts, corporate consolidations and layoffs, it feels like a respite from the fiscally overwhelming sides of America’s other theme parks these days, but that’s always been its objective.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Five days, although a respite, was too short.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
They were blessed respites from the morning breakfast rush and carpool.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
There are some respites from the training, the running and marching, the room full of tear gas, the dead man’s float test, the hand-to-hand combat, the flower planting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
Even for malaria the respites may be transient.
From Science Magazine ● Sep. 25, 2023
The reward, during dry respites, is access to a lush ecosystem filled with giant trees, waterfalls, wildlife and easy hikes designed for getting back to shelter quickly in case of a deluge.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2023
The only respites were when Mark, the utility boy, came in.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
On leaving the chapel Warwick was taken back to his room, and learned that he was respited.
From The Reign of Mary Tudor by Ernest Rhys
For a few hours, then—possibly for a few days—he was respited.
From Major Vigoureux by Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
At his trial he pleaded guilty; but he was respited, and afterwards pardoned.
From Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745 Volume II. by Mrs. Thomson
But at the period of our story men were often respited for short or long periods, yet suffered at last.
From International Short Stories English by Various
In vain was the power of his dynasty overthrown by the Crusaders; in vain do the Seljukians disappear from the annals of the world; in vain is Constantinople respited; in vain is Europe saved.
From Historical Sketches, Volume I (of 3) The Turks in Their Relation to Europe; Marcus Tullius Cicero; Apollonius of Tyana; Primitive Christianity by John Henry Newman
The respiting of the burning of the hand till the king's pardon could be obtained was not to put him in a worse condition than he would have been in had he been actually burnt.
From State Trials Vol. 2 (of 2) Political and Social by Various
By this simple sentence a flood of light is thrown on the fact of respiting him alone amongst the four men admittedly concerned in the rescue.
From The Dock and the Scaffold by Unknown
Then they made a last attempt in his favor, and voted for respiting the execution.
From Critical and Historical Essays, Volume III (of 3) by Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron Macaulay
Then they made a last attempt in his favour, and voted for respiting the execution.
From Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 2 by Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron Macaulay
"There is one strange fact about this," said the governor of the prison to Harkaway, "and that is, that one of the prisoners has taken the liberty of respiting himself."
From Jack Harkaway and His Son's Escape from the Brigand's of Greece by Bracebridge Hemyng
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.
