respite
Americannoun
-
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
-
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:
Tehran said in turn it would stop its retaliatory attacks on regional neighbours, handing Gulf shipping and the oil industry a respite.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Too often, activities aren't able to provide the support children need, or parents have to stay throughout, meaning they don't receive the respite they desperately need," said CEO Ruth Hobbs.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
US households saw some temporary respite in recent weeks as gasoline prices -- which have been squeezing families' budgets -- dropped below the $4 per gallon average on an interim deal between Washington and Tehran.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
She said any policy decision would be up to Burnham but added "we do need to find ways to give people respite and that's about money in their pockets".
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The reformers, Gold writes: strove for ways to reduce time spent studying, because long periods of respite could save the mind from injury.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
They were blessed respites from the morning breakfast rush and carpool.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
As the insects spread across the state, patios and backyards morphed from respites into risky territories.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2025
These six podcasts offer respites for your brain, delivering tales that are diverting enough to keep you focused, but uneventful enough that you can doze off.
From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2024
Even for malaria the respites may be transient.
From Science Magazine ● Sep. 25, 2023
During one of these respites, Diana drew Lyddie to the nearest window.
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
One of them, named Robinson, was respited by the Governor, for a month.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, vol 1-98, 1850-1899 None by Harper, Various (magazine)
Dick felt as if he had been respited after condemnation, and began to breathe freely.
From The Queen's Scarlet The Adventures and Misadventures of Sir Richard Frayne by Smith, A. Monro
Yet as he knelt with the axe lifted above him, he was respited and banished to Siberia; and on his way thither a courier overtook him, bearing a pardon for him and his banished brothers.
From Historic Tales, Vol. 8 (of 15) The Romance of Reality by Morris, Charles
Whereupon the House ordered that their appearance be recorded, and that they attend again to-morrow, in order to plead the pardon; and the recognizance of the Lord Nairn was respited till that day fortnight.
From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 11 (of 12) by Burke, Edmund
Bradford, the fifth, was respited, in the hope that the example might tell upon him.
From The Reign of Mary Tudor by Rhys, Ernest
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 Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron
"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 Hemyng, Bracebridge
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 favour, and voted for respiting the execution.
From Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 2 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron
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.
