Leisure vs. Rest — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 19, 2024
Leisure involves freely chosen activities for enjoyment, whereas rest is primarily about relaxation and recovery.
Difference Between Leisure and Rest
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Leisure refers to the time spent on activities chosen freely for enjoyment or relaxation outside of obligatory tasks like work or chores. Rest, on the other hand, is specifically about physical or mental relaxation and recovery, often involving minimal activity or sleep.
Leisure activities can be active or passive but are characterized by their voluntary nature and the pleasure or relaxation they provide. Rest, however, is primarily focused on rejuvenation and might not necessarily be an activity but a state of inactivity or minimal activity aimed at restoring energy.
While leisure can include a wide range of activities such as sports, hobbies, or socializing, all chosen based on personal interests, rest is more about pausing activities to allow for physical and mental recovery, often involving sleep, lounging, or other forms of inactivity.
Leisure is important for personal development, social connections, and mental health, offering a break from routine and an opportunity for enjoyment. Rest is crucial for health, allowing the body and mind to recover from exertion and stress, thereby preventing burnout and maintaining overall well-being.
The choice involved in leisure activities contrasts with the sometimes involuntary nature of rest, where physical or mental exhaustion dictates the need to stop and recuperate.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Time spent on freely chosen activities for enjoyment or relaxation.
Physical or mental relaxation and recovery, often involving minimal or no activity.
Nature
Can be active or passive but always voluntary.
Primarily a state of inactivity or minimal activity focused on rejuvenation.
Purpose
Personal enjoyment, relaxation, socializing, personal development.
Physical and mental recovery, rejuvenation, maintaining health.
Activities
Sports, hobbies, socializing, cultural events, etc.
Sleeping, lounging, meditation, or simply doing nothing.
Importance
Enhances mental health, personal development, and social connections.
Crucial for health, prevents burnout, essential for recovery and well-being.
Compare with Definitions
Leisure
To relax, pursue personal interests, and enhance quality of life.
He uses his leisure time to learn new languages and travel.
Rest
Taking time out from activities to relax and recover energy, often involves sleep or inactivity.
After the marathon, he needed a day of complete rest.
Leisure
Time spent on activities outside of work or obligations, chosen for enjoyment or relaxation.
She spends her leisure time gardening and reading novels.
Rest
Sleeping, lounging, or engaging in light activities like meditation.
She practices meditation during her rest periods to rejuvenate her mind.
Leisure
Engaging in hobbies, sports, or social events.
Their leisure activities include hiking and attending concerts.
Rest
Essential for health, to recover from physical or mental exertion.
The doctor advised more rest to recover from the illness.
Leisure
Can involve developing skills or talents, but the emphasis is on enjoyment.
She took up painting as a leisure activity and discovered her talent for it.
Rest
Physical and mental rejuvenation, essential for maintaining long-term health and well-being.
Getting enough rest at night improved his focus and productivity during the day.
Leisure
Leads to personal fulfillment, enjoyment, and potentially social connections.
Their leisure pursuits brought them closer as a family and expanded their social circle.
Rest
Does not typically require skill but an understanding of one's need for recuperation.
Learning to rest effectively can be as important as learning to work efficiently.
Leisure
Leisure has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping.
Rest
Cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength
He needed to rest after the feverish activity
I'm going to rest up before travelling to England
Leisure
Free time when one is not working or attending to other duties.
Rest
Be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position
Her elbow was resting on the arm of the sofa
Leisure
Relaxation or activities engaged in during such time
The pursuit of leisure.
Rest
Be based on; depend on
The country's security rested on its alliances
Leisure
Freedom provided by the cessation of activities.
Rest
Conclude presentation of either party's case in a suit or prosecution
The prosecution rests
Leisure
Free time, time free from work or duties.
Rest
Remain or be left in a specified condition
You can rest assured she will do everything she can
Leisure
Time at one's command, free from engagement; convenient opportunity; hence, convenience; ease.
Rest
An instance or period of resting
A couple of days of complete rest
You look as though you need a rest
Leisure
Freedom from occupation or business; vacant time; time free from employment.
The desire of leisure is much more natural than of business and care.
Rest
An interval of silence of a specified duration.
Leisure
Time at one's command, free from engagement; convenient opportunity; hence, convenience; ease.
He sighed, and had no leisure more to say.
Rest
An object that is used to support something
A shoulder rest
Leisure
Unemployed; as, leisure hours.
Rest
The remaining part of something
What do you want to do for the rest of your life?
I'll tell you the rest tomorrow night
Leisure
Time available for ease and relaxation;
His job left him little leisure
Rest
A small, detached portion of an organ or tissue.
Leisure
Freedom to choose a pastime or enjoyable activity;
He lacked the leisure for golf
Rest
A rally in real tennis.
Rest
A period of inactivity, relaxation, or sleep:The hikers stopped for a rest.
Rest
Sleep or the refreshment resulting from inactivity or sleep:Get plenty of rest before the race.
Rest
Mental or emotional calm:The news put my mind at rest.
Rest
The state of being motionless; the absence of motion:The car accelerates quickly from a state of rest.
Rest
The condition of being settled or resolved:a remark that put the matter to rest.
Rest
An interval of silence corresponding to one of the possible time values within a measure.
Rest
The mark or symbol indicating such a pause and its length.
Rest
A short pause in a line of poetry; a caesura.
Rest
A device used as a support:a back rest.
Rest
(Games)See bridge1.
Rest
The part that is left over after something has been removed; remainder.
Rest
That or those remaining
The beginning was boring, but the rest was interesting. The rest are arriving later.
Rest
A support for a lance on the side of the breastplate of medieval armor.
Rest
To cease motion, work, or activity, especially in order to become refreshed:The laborers rested in the shade.
Rest
To lie down and sleep:rested for an hour on the couch.
Rest
To be in or come to a motionless state:The can rolled along, finally resting when it hit the curb.
Rest
To be located or be in a specified place:The manuscript rests in the museum.
Rest
To be fixed or directed on something:His gaze rested on the necklace.
Rest
To be unchanged or unresolved:After arguing for an hour, we let the matter rest.
Rest
To be supported or based; lie, lean, or sit:The ladder rests firmly anst the tree.
Rest
To be imposed or vested, as a responsibility or burden:The final decision rests with the crperson.
Rest
To depend or rely:That argument rests on a false assumption.
Rest
(Law)To complete the n presentation of one's portion of a legal case:The defense rests.
Rest
To cause or allow to be inactive or relaxed so as to ren energy:The coach rested his best players. I rested my eyes before studying.
Rest
To place, lay, or lean, as for support or repose:rested the rake anst the fence.
Rest
To base or ground:I rested my conclusion on that fact.
Rest
To fix or direct (the gaze, for example).
Rest
(Law)To complete the n presentation of (one's portion of a case):The prosecutor was not ready to rest her case.
Rest
To be or continue to be; remain
Rest assured that we will finish on time.
Rest
To remain or be left over.
Rest
Relief from work or activity by sleeping; sleep.
I need to get a good rest tonight; I was up late last night.
The sun sets, and the workers go to their rest.
Rest
(countable) Any relief from exertion; a state of quiet and relaxation.
We took a rest at the top of the hill to get our breath back.
Rest
(uncountable) Peace; freedom from worry, anxiety, annoyances; tranquility.
It was nice to have a rest from the phone ringing when I unplugged it for a while.
Rest
A state of inactivity; a state of little or no motion; a state of completion.
The boulder came to rest just behind the house after rolling down the mountain.
The ocean was finally at rest.
Now that we're all in agreement, we can put that issue to rest.
Rest
A pause of a specified length in a piece of music.
Remember there's a rest at the end of the fourth bar.
Rest
A written symbol indicating such a pause in a musical score such as in sheet music.
Rest
Absence of motion.
The body's centre of gravity may affect its state of rest.
Rest
A stick with a U-, V- or X-shaped head used to support the tip of a cue when the cue ball is otherwise out of reach.
Higgins can't quite reach the white with his cue, so he'll be using the rest.
Rest
(countable) Any object designed to be used to support something else.
She put the phone receiver back in its rest.
He placed his hands on the arm rests of the chair.
Rest
A projection from the right side of the cuirass of armour, serving to support the lance.
Rest
A place where one may rest, either temporarily, as in an inn, or permanently, as, in an abode.
Rest
(poetry) A short pause in reading poetry; a caesura.
Rest
The striking of a balance at regular intervals in a running account. Often, specifically, the intervals after which compound interest is added to capital.
Rest
(dated) A set or game at tennis.
Rest
(uncountable) That which remains.
She ate some of the food, but was not hungry enough to eat it all, so she put the rest in the refrigerator to finish later.
Rest
Those not included in a proposition or description; the remainder; others.
Rest
A surplus held as a reserved fund by a bank to equalize its dividends, etc.; in the Bank of England, the balance of assets above liabilities.
Rest
(intransitive) To cease from action, motion, work, or performance of any kind; stop; desist; be without motion.
Rest
(intransitive) To come to a pause or an end; end.
Rest
(intransitive) To be free from that which harasses or disturbs; be quiet or still; be undisturbed.
Rest
To be or to put into a state of rest.
My day's work is over; now I will rest.
We need to rest the horses before we ride any further.
I shall not rest until I have uncovered the truth.
Rest
(intransitive) To stay, remain, be situated.
The blame seems to rest with your father.
Rest
To lean, lie, or lay.
A column rests on its pedestal.
I rested my head in my hands.
She rested against my shoulder.
I rested against the wall for a minute.
Rest
To complete one's active advocacy in a trial or other proceeding, and thus to wait for the outcome (however, one is still generally available to answer questions, etc.)
The defense rests, your Honor.
I rest my case.
Rest
(intransitive) To sleep; slumber.
Rest
(intransitive) To lie dormant.
Rest
(intransitive) To rely or depend on.
The decision rests on getting a bank loan.
Rest
To be satisfied; to acquiesce.
Rest
To continue to be, remain, be left in a certain way.
You can rest assured that a sick child will say when it's again ready to eat, so it won't starve and doesn't need to be cajoled into eating.
Rest
To keep a certain way.
Rest
To arrest.
Rest
To arrest.
Rest
To cease from action or motion, especially from action which has caused weariness; to desist from labor or exertion.
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest.
Rest
To be free from whanever wearies or disturbs; to be quiet or still.
There rest, if any rest can harbor there.
Rest
To lie; to repose; to recline; to lan; as, to rest on a couch.
Rest
To stand firm; to be fixed; to be supported; as, a column rests on its pedestal.
Rest
To sleep; to slumber; hence, poetically, to be dead.
Fancy . . . then retriesInto her private cell when Nature rests.
Rest
To lean in confidence; to trust; to rely; to repose without anxiety; as, to rest on a man's promise.
On him I rested, after long debate,And not without considering, fixed fate.
Rest
To be satisfied; to acquiesce.
To rest in Heaven's determination.
Rest
To lay or place at rest; to quiet.
Your piety has paidAll needful rites, to rest my wandering shade.
Rest
To place, as on a support; to cause to lean.
Her weary head upon your bosom rest.
Rest
To be left; to remain; to continue to be.
The affairs of men rest still uncertain.
Rest
A state of quiet or repose; a cessation from motion or labor; tranquillity; as, rest from mental exertion; rest of body or mind.
Sleep give thee all his rest!
Rest
Hence, freedom from everything which wearies or disturbs; peace; security.
And the land had rest fourscore years.
Rest
That on which anything rests or leans for support; as, a rest in a lathe, for supporting the cutting tool or steadying the work.
He made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
Rest
A projection from the right side of the cuirass, serving to support the lance.
Their visors closed, their lances in the rest.
Rest
A place where one may rest, either temporarily, as in an inn, or permanently, as, in an abode.
In dust our final rest, and native home.
Ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you.
Rest
A short pause in reading verse; a cæsura.
Rest
The striking of a balance at regular intervals in a running account.
Rest
A set or game at tennis.
Rest
Silence in music or in one of its parts; the name of the character that stands for such silence. They are named as notes are, whole, half, quarter,etc.
Rest
That which is left, or which remains after the separation of a part, either in fact or in contemplation; remainder; residue.
Religion gives part of its reward in hand, the present comfort of having done our duty, and, for the rest, it offers us the best security that Heaven can give.
Rest
Those not included in a proposition or description; the remainder; others.
Armed like the rest, the Trojan prince appears.
Rest
A surplus held as a reserved fund by a bank to equalize its dividends, etc.; in the Bank of England, the balance of assets above liabilities.
Rest
Something left after other parts have been taken away;
There was no remainder
He threw away the rest
He took what he wanted and I got the balance
Rest
Freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility);
Took his repose by the swimming pool
Rest
A pause for relaxation;
People actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests
Rest
A state of inaction;
A body will continue in a state of rest until acted upon
Rest
A support on which things can be put;
The gun was steadied on a special rest
Rest
A musical notation indicating a silence of a specified duration
Rest
Not move; be in a resting position
Rest
Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
Rest
Give a rest to;
He rested his bad leg
Rest the dogs for a moment
Rest
Have a place in relation to something else;
The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West
The responsibility rests with the Allies
Rest
Be at rest
Rest
Stay the same; remain in a certain state;
The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it
Rest assured
Stay alone
He remained unmoved by her tears
The bad weather continued for another week
Rest
Be inherent or innate in;
Rest
Put something in a resting position, as for support or steadying;
Rest your head on my shoulder
Rest
Sit, as on a branch;
The birds perched high in the treee
Rest
Rest on or as if on a pillow;
Pillow your head
Rest
Be inactive, refrain from acting;
The committee is resting over the summer
Common Curiosities
What defines leisure time?
Leisure time is defined by activities chosen freely for enjoyment or relaxation outside obligatory tasks.
Can rest be active?
Rest can involve light activities like meditation or leisurely walks, focusing on relaxation and recovery.
Can leisure activities include exercise?
Yes, leisure activities can include exercise if chosen for enjoyment rather than obligation.
Why is rest important for physical health?
Rest is crucial for physical health as it allows the body to recover from exertion, repair tissues, and prevent injury.
Can leisure activities be solitary?
Leisure activities can be both solitary and social, depending on personal preferences.
Is sleeping considered rest or leisure?
Sleeping is considered rest, as it is essential for physical and mental recovery.
How do leisure activities benefit mental health?
Leisure activities can enhance mental health by providing relaxation, enjoyment, and a break from routine.
Can too much leisure be harmful?
Excessive leisure, especially in sedentary activities, can lead to a lack of physical activity and other negative health effects.
What is the primary purpose of rest?
The primary purpose of rest is physical and mental relaxation and recovery.
What are examples of passive leisure activities?
Passive leisure activities include watching movies, reading, or listening to music.
How does one balance leisure and rest?
Balancing leisure and rest involves managing time to include enjoyable activities and sufficient relaxation and recovery periods.
Are vacations considered leisure or rest?
Vacations can encompass both leisure and rest, offering time for enjoyable activities and relaxation.
How do cultural perceptions of leisure and rest differ?
Cultural perceptions of leisure and rest vary widely, with some cultures valuing active leisure and others prioritizing relaxation and downtime.
How can rest impact productivity?
Adequate rest can significantly improve productivity by enhancing focus, energy levels, and overall well-being.
Is it possible to have too much rest?
Excessive rest, especially in the form of inactivity, can lead to decreased physical fitness and other health issues.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
