Rest — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈrest/

Meaning & Definition of Rest

Rest (noun)

  1. repose, sleep; specifically, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
  2. freedom from activity or labor
  3. absence of motion
  4. a projection or attachment on the side of the breastplate of medieval armor for supporting the butt of a lance
  5. something that remains over, remainder

Rest (verb)

  1. to get rest by lying down; especially, sleep
  2. to lie dead
  3. to cease from action or motion, refrain from labor or exertion

Rest (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. freedom from activity or labor

    "the coming weekend will provide some much needed rest"

    similar: decompression, ease, leisure, relaxation, repose
    related: catnapping, dozing, lazing, napping, resting, sleep, slumber, slumbering, snoozing, quiet, silence, stillness, calm, peace, peacefulness, placidity, respite, restfulness, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, dolce far niente, idleness
    opposite: exertion, labor, toil, work
    near: pressure, strain, stress, tenseness, tension

  2. a natural periodic loss of consciousness during which the body restores itself

    "after a long day, I lay down on the couch for a little rest before dinner"

    similar: bed, catnapping, dozing, napping, repose, resting, shut-eye, sleep, slumber, slumbering, snoozing, z's
    related: catnap, doze, drowse, forty winks, nap, siesta, snooze, wink, oversleeping, dreaming, rapid eye movement
    opposite: consciousness, wake, wakefulness
    near: insomnia, sleeplessness

  3. a remaining group or portion

    "can you hand me the rest of those papers?"

    similar: balance, leavings, leftovers, odds and ends, remainder, remains, remnant, residue, residuum
    related: fragment, scrap, vestige, butt, oddment, scraping(s), stub, stump, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus
    near: body, bulk, main, mass, most, weight

Rest (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to refrain from labor or exertion

    "a beach resort that caters to gung ho exercisers and athletes as well as vacationers who just want to rest"

    similar: bask, kick back, loll, lounge, relax, repose
    related: bum, goldbrick, hang, hang about (British), hang around, idle, loaf, slack (off), veg out
    near: drudge, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, plug, slave, slog, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, work, exercise, work out

  2. to be in a state of sleep

    "the patient is currently resting, but as soon as he awakes, I'll tell him you called"

    similar: catnap, doze, nap, sleep, slumber, snooze
    related: drop off, drowse (off), nod off, oversleep, sleep in, dream, hibernate
    near: arise, arouse, awake, rise, wake

  3. to find a basis

    "you're resting your argument on a faulty premise"

    similar: base, ground, hang, predicate
    related: establish, found, assume, postulate, premise, presume, presuppose, suppose

Related Entry: At rest (phrase)

At rest is a different word from Rest. The synonyms below are for at rest, not for rest.

  1. not being in a state of use, activity, or employment

    "His bike's at rest until spring."

    similar: dead, dormant, fallow, free, idle, inactive, inert, inoperative, latent, off, unused, vacant, on the shelf, out of commission
    related: abeyant, arrested, interrupted, suspended, unoccupied, asleep, comatose, lifeless, moribund, quiescent, sleepy, inoperable, unusable, unworkable, useless, dull, slow
    opposite: active, alive, busy, employed, functioning, going, living, on, operating, operative, running, working
    near: functional, operable, operational, workable, assiduous, industrious, sedulous, energetic, vigorous, feasible, practical, usable, useful, viable

  2. being in a state of suspended consciousness

    "I tried to be quiet while you were at rest."

    similar: asleep, dormant, dozing, napping, resting, sleeping, slumbering
    related: drowsy, nodding, sleepy, slumberous, somnolent, dreaming, reposing, hypnotized, mesmerized, comatose, semiconscious, sleepwalking, somnambulant
    opposite: awake, sleepless, wakeful, wide-awake
    near: aware, conscious, sleepless, aroused, astir, awakened, roused, up, wakened, reawakened, revived

Related Entry: Assured (adjective)

Assured is a different word from Rest. The synonyms below are for assured, not for rest.

  1. having or showing a mind free from doubt

    "a man who seemed very assured of the outcome of the election"

    similar: certain, clear, cocksure, confident, doubtless, implicit, positive, sanguine, sure
    related: self-assured, self-conceited, self-confident, decisive, resolute, unfaltering, unhesitating, unquestioning, unwavering
    opposite: doubtful, dubious, uncertain, unsure
    near: hesitant, indecisive, vacillating, wavering, diffident, unassuming

  2. having or showing great faith in oneself or one's abilities

    "an assured attorney, he dominates any courtroom proceeding"

    similar: confident, secure, self-asserting, self-assured, self-confident
    related: collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, poised, recollected, self-possessed, serene, tranquil, unperturbed, unshaken, hopeful, optimistic, rosy, sanguine, upbeat, complacent, conceited, egoistic, egotistic, important, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-affected, self-applauding, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-contented, self-important, self-pleased, self-satisfied, self-promoting, smug, stuck-up, vain, vainglorious, imperturbable, nerveless, unflappable, unself-conscious, unshakable, disciplined, self-collected, self-composed, self-contained, self-controlled, self-poised, self-reliant, self-sufficient
    opposite: diffident, insecure, self-distrustful, self-doubting
    near: meek, timid, unassertive, humble, modest, unassuming, unpretentious, jittery, jumpy, nervous, bashful, demure, mousy, overmodest, quiet, reserved, shy, self-critical, self-reproachful, self-reproving

  3. having too high an opinion of oneself

    "he's rather assured for a moviemaker with one hit movie to his name"

    similar: biggety (Southern & Midland), bigheaded, complacent, conceited, consequential, egoistic, egotistic, important, overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-conceited, self-important, self-opinionated, self-satisfied, smug, stuck-up, swellheaded, vain, vainglorious
    related: blusterous, blustery, boastful, bombastic, braggart, bragging, braggy, cocky, swaggering, arrogant, assumptive, bumptious, cavalier, chesty, disdainful, fastuous, haughty, high-and-mighty, high-hat, huffy, lofty, lordly, masterful, peremptory, pontifical, self-asserting, self-assertive, snobbish, snobby, snooty, supercilious, superior, toplofty, uppish, uppity, domineering, high-handed, imperious, highfalutin, holier-than-thou, pretentious, overconfident, presuming, presumptuous, confident, self-assured, self-confident, self-adulatory, self-congratulatory, self-contented, self-gratulatory, self-applauding, self-dramatizing, self-glorifying, self-promoting, self-affected, self-centered, self-engrossed, selfish, condescending, patronizing
    opposite: egoless, humble, modest, uncomplacent
    near: diffident, self-critical, self-distrustful, self-doubting, self-reproachful, self-reproving, meek, timid, unassertive, down-to-earth, unarrogant, unassuming, unpretentious, bashful, demure, introverted, mousy, overmodest, retiring, sheepish, shrinking, shy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rest

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rest:

decompression, ease, leisure, relaxation, repose, bed, catnapping, dozing, napping, resting, shut-eye, sleep, slumber, slumbering, snoozing, z's, balance, leavings, leftovers, odds and ends, remainder, remains, remnant, residue, residuum, bask, kick back, loll, lounge, relax, catnap, doze, nap, snooze, base, ground, hang, predicate

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Rest

Words with the opposite meaning of Rest:

exertion, labor, toil, work, consciousness, wake, wakefulness

Related Words for Rest

lazing, quiet, silence, stillness, calm, peace, peacefulness, placidity, respite, restfulness, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, dolce far niente, idleness, drowse, forty winks, siesta, wink, oversleeping, dreaming, rapid eye movement, fragment, scrap, vestige, butt, oddment, scraping(s), stub

Near Antonyms of Rest

pressure, strain, stress, tenseness, tension, insomnia, sleeplessness, body, bulk, main, mass, most, weight, drudge, grub, hump, hustle, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, plug, slave, slog, strive, struggle, sweat, travail, exercise, work out

Word Forms of Rest

Inflections: rested, resting, rests

Derived words: rester (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Rest

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German rasta rest and perhaps to Old High German ruowa calm

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Rest

Words & Phrases Containing Rest

rest area, rest home, rest house, rest mass, rest easy, rest in peace

Frequently Asked Questions about Rest

What does "Rest" mean?

"Rest" means repose, sleep; specifically, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: repose, sleep; specifically, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rest"?

Other words for "Rest" include decompression, ease, leisure, relaxation, repose, bed, catnapping and dozing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rest" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rest"?

There are 104 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rest". Common alternatives include decompression, ease, leisure, relaxation, repose, bed, catnapping, dozing, napping and resting.

What is the opposite of "Rest"?

Antonyms of "Rest" include exertion, labor, toil, work, consciousness, wake and wakefulness. Near antonyms include pressure, strain, stress and tenseness.

How do you use "Rest" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rest" in a sentence: "the coming weekend will provide some much needed rest"; "after a long day, I lay down on the couch for a little rest before dinner"; "can you hand me the rest of those papers?".

Is "Rest" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rest" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Rest" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Rest" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Rest"?

"Rest" is pronounced /ˈrest/.