pastime

noun

pas·​time ˈpas-ˌtīm How to pronounce pastime (audio)
: something that amuses and serves to make time pass agreeably : diversion
Her favorite pastime is gardening.
Baseball has been a national pastime for many years.

Examples of pastime in a Sentence

Baseball has been a national pastime for years.
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.
This type of collecting is a silly, frivolous pastime! Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 31 May 2025 Roosevelt reportedly didn’t use the pass much, if at all, sticking instead to his personal pastimes of boxing and football. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025 Lawn bowling, a popular Canadian pastime, is a simple yet entertaining game to include. Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 19 May 2025 Outside of his career, Bachan’s pastime was fishing and spending time in nature, his sister said. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pastime

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pastime was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pastime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pastime. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

pastime

noun
pas·​time ˈpas-ˌtīm How to pronounce pastime (audio)
: something that helps to make time pass agreeably

More from Merriam-Webster on pastime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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