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 do not think he deserves a respite," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
James' prediction: This is a high-pressure fixture for both teams but, being at home, United should edge it, and give their fans a bit of respite.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
There’s little respite to be found in the Chargers’ upcoming games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 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
On the one hand, Koffi was grateful for the respite; the splendor had a distinctly fatiguing effect after a while.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
There were brief respites, but things seldom got easier: “The wind whipped up at noon and sleet came smacking down,” Mr. Tesson recalls.
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
But these respites only emphasize a pervasive sense of confinement.
From New York Times ● Dec. 7, 2022
Her crimes had seemed minimal, but now Ophie could not help but see her afternoon respites through her mother’s eyes, and shame ran through her, hot and itchy.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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
The sentence was afterwards respited and they were transported for life; their last appearance in the village being when they rode through on the coach bound for London, and thence to the convict settlement.
From Fragments of Two Centuries Glimpses of Country Life when George III. was King by Alfred Kingston
He has not been forgiven; he has only been respited.
From The Parables of Our Lord by William Arnot
For a whole century God has respited mankind, that it might acknowledge the Founder of such a Revelation, espouse His Cause, proclaim His greatness, and establish His Order.
From The Promised Day Is Come by Shoghi Effendi
The His punishment respited Protector was then addressed, and wrote a letter to the house, which, though it occasioned some debate, obtained no resolution in favour of the prisoner.
From Curiosities of Great Britain: England and Wales Delineated Vol.1-11 Historical, Entertaining & Commercial; Alphabetically Arranged. 11 Volume set. by Thomas Cantrell Dugdale
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
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
"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
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
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
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