1
as in alcoves
a hollowed-out space in a wall
the curator placed the large vase in one of the recesses of the gallery wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in vacations
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pauses
a momentary halt in an activity
the judge called for a brief recess so that the witness could regain her composure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in holes
a sunken area forming a separate space
decided to camp in a sandy recess where the beach met the forest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in suspends
to bring to a formal close for a period of time
the judge recessed the court for lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of recesses
Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
August is typically the slowest month of the year for restaurants in Washington, as Congress recesses and families head out on last-minute vacations.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Attorney Lauren Cerri of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, representing the plaintiff, condemned school administration for ignoring prior complaints made by yard duty supervisors years earlier that Wilson was spending time in his classroom alone with female students during lunch recesses.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the recesses of the internet, where reality can feel increasingly fuzzy, one young Norwegian man lacking offline mobility built a world of his own.
—Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
And yet the meeting itself is lost to the deepest recesses of Pledger’s mind.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
The president earlier this week threatened to yank the July 4 recesses next week if the legislation is not on his desk by the Independence Day deadline.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Noun
Here was the postwar American housewife—neatly dressed, pretty, poised, active—stepping unwittingly into a scene of utter depravity and sadism that reflected back at this wholesome young mother the darkest recesses of the human mind.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
August is typically the slowest month of the year for restaurants in Washington, as Congress recesses and families head out on last-minute vacations.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Attorney Lauren Cerri of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, representing the plaintiff, condemned school administration for ignoring prior complaints made by yard duty supervisors years earlier that Wilson was spending time in his classroom alone with female students during lunch recesses.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the recesses of the internet, where reality can feel increasingly fuzzy, one young Norwegian man lacking offline mobility built a world of his own.
—Matthew Jacobs, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2025
And yet the meeting itself is lost to the deepest recesses of Pledger’s mind.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
The president earlier this week threatened to yank the July 4 recesses next week if the legislation is not on his desk by the Independence Day deadline.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 27 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recesses
Noun
-
Now, designers like Hám Interiors are making clever use of compact spaces by fitting bedrooms with alcoves that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.—
Chloe Frost-Smith,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Inside the intimate cantina, a curved bar stands at the center of a domed space with alcoves around the edges.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The family also spends holidays and vacations together.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the unofficial demo, the humanoid responds to voice commands slowly and takes awkward pauses.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Their words will have bolstered his belief, giving him the confidence to show for and collect the ball again in the defensive third just after the break, using a combination of touches and pauses to evade Brentford pressure before making a more assured sideways pass this time.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Another tool combines a Phillips and flathead screwdriver (via a flippable bit), a tungsten steel automotive glass-breaking stud, a nail puller, a rope cutter, plus 5- and 7-mm hex wrench holes.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Sep. 2025
-
But the unexpected interloper turns out not to be the last of the heist’s hiccups when new team recruit Zen (Rosa Salazar) plugs Parker’s crew full of bullet holes and makes off with the rest of the cash.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The emergency order, which suspends a lower court ruling that favored the migrants, could have far-reaching effects on immigrant communities, employment, and deportation protocols.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Termination can occur immediately if the NBPA suspends or revokes an agent’s certification, but Turner capably performed his duties.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This Amazon top-selling robot vacuum is self-emptying, uses an extending brush arm to thoroughly clean corners, and maneuvers intelligently around obstacles.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Russell’s eyes soften; the corners of her mouth curl upward.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Krewes being the social organizations whose members build floats and create costumes and host the parades, parties and galas that make up Mardi Gras, but also holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween.—
Jenny Adams,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
-
While synagogues are especially vigilant during the Jewish high holidays, Shira Hutt, executive vice president of the Jewish Federations of North America, said safety is something most worry about year-round nowadays.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Figuring how to avoid similar lulls in key moments will be another critical offseason task.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The bursts of action punctuate these lulls and sync perfectly with the intro song, Shortchange Hero (by The Heavy).—
G Kirilloff,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recesses. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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