recess 1 of 2

1
as in alcove
a hollowed-out space in a wall the curator placed the large vase in one of the recesses of the gallery wall

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2
as in vacation
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended the couple goes to Florida every January for a month-long recess from the rigors of winter

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3
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recess

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of recess
Noun
The next day, the winds were fierce and Lam, her students and her teaching assistant spent recess and lunch inside. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025 An assistant principal at Oak-Land Middle School in Lake Elmo was taken to the hospital on Friday afternoon after he was assaulted while trying to break up a fight between students during eighth-grade recess, officials said. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
The children’s room featured a semicircular seating area recessed into the floor created for a theater for story time. Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2025 The six-inch display is recessed into the bezels, which helps to reduce glare. PC Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recess
Noun
  • The home spotlights numerous private alcoves, including a hot tub level.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In the evenings, candles placed punctiliously into alcoves, corners, and stairwells cast warm amber light that flickers softly in the night.
    Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • August 28, 2022: Shayk and Cooper ignite reconciliation rumors thanks to some photos from a tropical family vacation.
    Glamour, Glamour, 4 May 2025
  • That could include everything from paying bills to going on vacation to saving for retirement.
    Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025
Noun
  • And sometimes, a pause that lingers a moment longer than expected can speak louder than any update.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
  • After a five-year pause enacted by President Trump in March 2020.
    Ben Abrams, NPR, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • The pots are thoughtfully designed with a drainage hole to avoid overwatering, enhance proper airflow, and keep your plants healthy.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 May 2025
  • Private contractors under the supervision of St. Paul Public Works will spend up to two months repairing the man-sized sink hole that opened on the evening of May 8, forcing ongoing partial road closures between Chestnut and Walnut streets.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • The victory was later overturned into a no-contest while Garcia was suspended for a year by the New York State Athletic Commission.
    Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
  • Many Americans suspected an increase in recalls due to the Food and Drug Administration suspending its quality control program as a result of its massive staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a report from Reuters last month.
    Moná Thomas, People.com, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Note that May 1st was a holiday in many markets – though the UK will take the day off on Monday — while weather in Europe is also a factor.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 3 May 2025
  • Federal holidays − including their names − are created through the legislative process in Congress.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • Don’t wait for a business lull or career crossroads to reconnect.
    Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • But intensifying Russian attacks against Kyiv earlier this week following a lull over the Easter holiday led Trump to take a rare shot against Putin on Thursday.
    Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And a city in Canada recently voted to add fluoride back into the drinking water after seeing that local second-graders had significantly higher rates of cavities than those in a neighboring city that fluoridated its water.
    Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 7 May 2025
  • The bill passed on April 29 in the middle of Miami-Dade’s own fight over fluoridation of tap water, which the county has been doing since the 1950s as a way to reduce cavities and other dental issues.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 7 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Recess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recess. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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