recumbent

adjective

Definition of recumbentnext
as in horizontal
formal lying down The Egyptian sphinx has the body of a recumbent lion. a recumbent position

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How does the adjective recumbent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of recumbent are prone, prostrate, and supine. While all these words mean "lying down," recumbent implies the posture of one sleeping or resting.

a patient comfortably recumbent in a hospital bed

When might prone be a better fit than recumbent?

While the synonyms prone and recumbent are close in meaning, prone implies a position with the front of the body turned toward the supporting surface.

push-ups require a prone position

In what contexts can prostrate take the place of recumbent?

The words prostrate and recumbent can be used in similar contexts, but prostrate implies lying full-length as in submission, defeat, or physical collapse.

a runner fell prostrate at the finish line

Where would supine be a reasonable alternative to recumbent?

The words supine and recumbent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supine implies lying on one's back and suggests inertness or abjectness.

lying supine on the couch

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 recumbent The bespectacled local celebrity seemingly has it together — riding his recumbent bike to and from work each day, drinking healthy green juices, playing board games with his family on the weekends. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026 Bill Bucklew Now, Bucklew set to get on his recumbent tricycle and set off on a cross-cycle of the length of Route 66, along with a team of others living with Parkinson's. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026 Emin’s masterpiece thumbed its nose at a tradition of recumbent feminine flesh on tousled white sheets (think Titian’s Venus of Urbino, Manet’s Olympia, or any number of bosomy Lucian Freud nudes). — Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026 TigerTiger’s profile is soon revealed to have been created by Clark, presumably for the purpose of catfishing Floyd; when detectives find security-camera footage of Clark pedalling away from the scene of the crime in his distinctive recumbent bicycle, he is arrested and charged with the murder. — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recumbent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recumbent
  1. horizontal
  2. prone
  3. flat
  4. reclining
Adjective
  • There are still real innovations and experiments happening in more familiar categories of retail extension such as experiential retail, vertical and horizontal acquisitions, and store-within-a-store (SWAS) concepts.
    — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Facial puffiness on waking happens because lymph flow slows overnight when the body is horizontal and still, letting fluid pool in the face.
    — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
Definition of horizontal
Adjective
  • People who are pregnant, prone to blood clots or have implanted medical devices should skip vibration plates entirely.
    — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • Both potatoes and cucumbers are prone to blight, which can ruin them if planted close together, says Bolles.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 30 June 2026
Definition of prone
Adjective
  • Plus, new members of this meat service can get 15% off their first order, and select states get free flat-rate shipping on orders of $125 or more.
    — Rachel Cortez, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • In the middle, there’s the bathroom volume, which has a flat roof that doubles as a sun deck and is accessible via the study mezzanine above the living space.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 July 2026
Definition of flat
Adjective
  • Anton Radchenko, a lawyer and the chief executive of AirAdvisor, told the Times that the woman could bring a small claims lawsuit against the airline, pointing to two cases where passengers won money over a non-reclining seat in India and a disappointing business class cabin in New Zealand.
    — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Definition of reclining

Browse Nearby Words

rectory
recumbent
recuperate
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Cite this Entry

“Recumbent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recumbent. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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