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:
At first, these carefree interludes seem to be a welcome respite from “Queen at Sea’s” choking anxiety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Even Cunha's sending off soon after, which ensured a nervy ending, would not deny United a first win in 10, bringing some respite after a dreadful few weeks.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Families in Kyiv turn to medicine to get some respite from the stress mounting each year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
This can last for years, even decades, and despite hopeful moments of decency and respite from perceived indifference, bad actors will show you who they are time and again, if you let them.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Five days, although a respite, was too short.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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
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
She knew she was heading somewhere for another of her brief respites from Orlando’s paperness.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
He was prevailed on to petition the council, upon which he was respited to the 30th, and from that to May 9th, when he suffered according to his sentence.
From Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies) A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies by John Howie
So, again I was respited; but I knew it to be only a respite, for the bushes were few, and I could find no sign of others or of t'samma.
From A Rip Van Winkle Of The Kalahari Seven Tales of South-West Africa by Frederick Cornell
On the intercession of 'some divines of the church of Winchester' execution was respited till 2nd of September; and her sentence was afterwards commuted to beheading.
From State Trials, Political and Social Volume 1 (of 2) by Sir Harry Lushington Stephen
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
Powell respited the prisoner that the pleasure of the Lieutenant Governor might be known.
From The Journal of Negro History, Volume 5, 1920 by Various
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
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
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
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
"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
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