leisurely
Americanadjective
-
acting, proceeding, or done without haste; unhurried; deliberate.
a leisurely conversation.
-
showing or suggesting ample leisure; unhurried.
a leisurely manner.
adverb
adjective
adverb
Related Words
See slow.
Other Word Forms
- leisureliness noun
- leisureness noun
- unleisurely adjective
Etymology
Origin of leisurely
First recorded in 1480–90; earlier laiserly (adverb); leisure + -ly
Explanation
Leisurely is a word that describes something that is unhurried and easygoing, like the leisurely bike ride you may take home when you know have a lot of work waiting for you there. Whether it's an adjective or adverb, leisurely is in no rush to finish; instead it strolls down the lane slowly in its relaxed, laid-back way, and it probably stops to smell the flowers as it goes. If you work at a leisurely pace, you probably don't have a supervisor breathing down your neck to see how much work you’re doing at every second of the day. Leisurely is often found on the same page as pleasure.
Vocabulary lists containing leisurely
Nothing But the Truth
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Languor Management: Synonyms for "Lazy"
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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.
If I could do anything and have a leisurely day and take my mind off work, that’s what I’m doing.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
Other members of his sales team burned out on fruitless cold calls, but McDermott said he would skip leisurely, expensive lunches with co-workers to pack in more calls and sales meetings.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026
The bookmakers predict a similarly leisurely final quarter for Wigglesworth and his team on Saturday, though.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
“We were moving at a leisurely pace. There were all these lost opportunities.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025
“What’s the trouble?” inquired Colonel Kom, moving leisurely across the briefing room with his hands in his pockets and his tan shirt baggy.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
