recreational

adjective

rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al ˌre-krē-ˈā-shnəl How to pronounce recreational (audio)
-shə-nᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of recreation
a recreational area
recreational activities
2
: of or relating to recreational drugs or their use
a recreational drug user
Colorado's burgeoning marijuana industry had struggled under its own astonishing success since legal recreational sales began Jan. 1.David Migoya
recreationally adverb

Examples of recreational in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2024, the NPS reported a new high of more than 331 million recreational visits. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 Marijuana is legal for both recreational and medicinal use in 24 states and the District of Columbia as of April 2025, according to DISA Global Solutions. Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 14 Oct. 2025 For Gary Hairston—a 71-year-old retired coal miner and president of the National Black Lung Association, which is organizing the protest—living with black lung for more than 20 years has meant being sidelined from recreational basketball games and from playing with his grandchildren. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025 In neighboring Kentucky, medical marijuana is legal, but recreational use is not. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recreational

Word History

Etymology

recreation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recreational was in 1656

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Cite this Entry

“Recreational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recreational. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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