Standard Lemma guide

recline

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈklaɪn/
  • /ɹəˈklaɪn/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪn
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 K L AY1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mechanism for lowering the back of a seat to support a less upright position; Also, the action of lowering the back using such a mechanism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To cause to lean back; to bend back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To put in a resting position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • She reclined her arms on the table and sighed.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To lean back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • to recline against a wall

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To put oneself in a resting position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • to recline on a couch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

lean in a comfortable resting position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He was reposing on the couch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: recumb, repose

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lie

Narrower terms: rest

7

verb

Meaning 7

cause to recline

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She reclined her head on the pillow

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

8

verb

Meaning 8

move the upper body backwards and down

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lean back

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lean, tilt, tip, slant, angle

Narrower terms: fall back

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin reclīnāre (“to bend back”). Compare decline, incline.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: облягам (obljagam) — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Finnish: panna nojalleen — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Galician: reclinar — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • German: zurücklehnen — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Persian: بر پشت دراز کشیدن — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Portuguese: reclinar — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Russian: отки́дывать (otkídyvatʹ) — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Russian: отки́нуть (otkínutʹ) — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Tibetan: བཀྱེད (bkyed) — to cause to lean back; to bend back
  • Bulgarian: облягам (obljagam) — to put in a resting position
  • Finnish: panna — to put in a resting position
  • Finnish: asettaa — to put in a resting position
  • German: hinlegen — to put in a resting position
  • Portuguese: apoiar — to put in a resting position
  • Russian: укла́дывать (ukládyvatʹ) — to put in a resting position
  • Russian: уложи́ть (uložítʹ) — to put in a resting position
  • Sanskrit: श्रयति (śrayati) — to put in a resting position
  • Tibetan: གཞོགས་སྙེས་རྒྱག (gzhogs snyes rgyag) — to put in a resting position
  • Bulgarian: опирам се (opiram se) — to lean back
  • Bulgarian: облягам се (obljagam se) — to lean back
  • Finnish: nojautua — to lean back
  • German: anlehnen — to lean back
  • Latin: reclīnō — to lean back
  • Portuguese: reclinar — to lean back
  • Russian: отки́дываться (otkídyvatʹsja) — to lean back
  • Russian: отки́нуться (otkínutʹsja) — to lean back
  • Tibetan: སྙེས (snyes) — to lean back
  • Bulgarian: излягам се (izljagam se) — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Finnish: käydä pitkäkseen — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Hebrew: הֵסֵב (hesev) — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Māori: tīpapa — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Māori: noho — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Portuguese: deitar — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Rapa Nui: moe — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Russian: полулежа́ть (poluležátʹ) — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Russian: сиде́ть отки́нувшись (sidétʹ otkínuvšisʹ) — to put oneself in a resting position
  • Tibetan: གན་རྐྱལ་ཉལ (gan rkyal nyal) — to put oneself in a resting position