leisure
Americannoun
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freedom from the demands of work or duty.
She looked forward to retirement and a life of leisure.
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time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sports, etc..
Most evenings he had the leisure in which to follow his interests.
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unhurried ease.
a work written with leisure and grace.
adjective
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free or unoccupied.
leisure hours.
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having leisure.
the leisure class.
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(of clothing) suitable to or adapted for wear during leisure; casual.
a leisure jacket.
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designed or intended for recreational use.
leisure products like bowling balls and video games.
idioms
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at one's leisure, when one has free time; at one's convenience.
Take this book and read it at your leisure.
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at leisure,
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with free or unrestricted time.
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without haste; slowly.
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out of work; unemployed.
Because of the failure of the magazine, many experienced editors are now at leisure.
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noun
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time or opportunity for ease, relaxation, etc
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( as modifier )
leisure activities
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ease or leisureliness
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having free time for ease, relaxation, etc
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not occupied or engaged
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without hurrying
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when one has free time
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of leisure
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English leisir, from Old French, noun use of infinitive, ultimately from Latin licēre “to be allowed”
Explanation
Leisure is time off, spare time, sweet sweet freedom from the demands of work. It's like playtime for grown-ups. Leisure is time away from commitments like work or school. Leisure activities might include windsailing, golfing, crocheting a portrait of Betsy Ross, staring at one's navel, whatever. It's the freedom to do what the heck you want. It's not time for punching the clock or writing a paper on the role of matchsticks in the Industrial Revolution; it's kick-your-shoes-off time. If you read a book at your leisure, there's no rush. Leisure is more rare for some than others. "The billionaire was a woman of leisure," but leisure time is a luxury for most.
Vocabulary lists containing leisure
The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
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"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
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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:
In June, the leisure and hospitality industry lost jobs, but childcare services and office administrative services gained them, according to the BLS.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Under the terms of the legislation, funds generated by the tax must be reinvested in local services and facilities "substantially used by business and leisure visitors".
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Despite continuing geopolitical uncertainty, Ryanair remains well positioned due to its low-cost model and exposure to European leisure travel, the analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
River is primarily treated as a flood control channel, so park rangers carefully monitor for rain when the recreation zones open for leisure, like kayaking, during the summer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
For the first time in his life he was able to observe her at his leisure.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
“In those days, there weren’t video games or these other leisures kids have nowadays,” Gerard said.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 1, 2016
To meet the change, Davis sold 100 theaters, wisely followed his customers into new leisures.
From Time Magazine Archive
Wolfe's dreary garrison leisures in Scotland, however, were not idle.
From Lectures and Essays by Smith, Goldwin
The generous indefiniteness, which treats an hour more or less as of no account, is in keeping with that sense of endless leisures which it is one chief merit of the poem to suggest.
From Among My Books Second Series by Lowell, James Russell
Washington had his slaves, his coat of arms, and the occupations and leisures and pleasures, so far as the frontier would permit, of an English gentleman.
From The French in the Heart of America by Finley, John
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.
