recreational

adjective

rec·​re·​a·​tion·​al ˌre-krē-ˈā-shnəl 

-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

Being stuck at home with limited recreational options meant social media became the entertainment source of choice for many. —Kathy Schenfelt, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025

There are 4 million recreational boaters in California, according to the state Division of Boating and Waterways. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025

Nearly six in 10 Americans support the legalization of recreational weed, a 2024 Pew Research Center survey found. —Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 29 June 2025

In 2023, Yellowstone National Park welcomed approximately 4.5 million recreational visitors, the second-highest annual total in the park's history, as people flocked to catch a glimpse of the wildlife and landscapes. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

recreation + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing recreational

• recreational drug
• recreational vehicle

Rhymes for recreational

• aspirational
• avocational
• calculational
• combinational
• computational
• conformational
• confrontational
• congregational
• conversational
• correlational
• deformational
• derivational