recline

verb

re·​cline ri-ˈklīn How to pronounce recline (audio)
reclined; reclining
Synonyms of reclinenext

transitive verb

: to cause or permit to incline backwards

intransitive verb

1
: to lean or incline backwards
2
: repose, lie

Examples of recline in a Sentence

She was reclining on the sofa, watching TV. The theater has reclining seats. He reclined his seat so that he could nap more comfortably.
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.
Her husband, Daniel, reclines nearby in a tank top, scrolling on his phone. — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 The woman was found by medical staff in a reclining chair in the hospital room with a gunshot wound to her chest, according to court records. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026 The plot, though streamlined, is accented with some verbal modernisms in keeping with that reclining easy chair, as if slipped in to keep things askew. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 Sit in a reclining lawn chair or lie on your back to get a wide view of the sky. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recline

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French recliner, from Latin reclinare, from re- + clinare to bend — more at lean

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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

Rhymes for recline

See All Rhymes for recline

Browse Nearby Words

reclination
recline
recliner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recline. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

recline

verb
re·​cline ri-ˈklīn How to pronounce recline (audio)
reclined; reclining
1
: to lean or cause to lean backwards
2
: repose entry 1 sense 2, lie
reclining on the sofa

More from Merriam-Webster on recline

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