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 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 When the men ride their recumbent bikes together, Carol is left at home. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Apr. 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 Types of bikes insured Markel covers bicycles, tricycles, tandem bikes, recumbent bikes and e-bikes. — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recumbent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recumbent
  1. horizontal
  2. prone
  3. flat
  4. reclining
Adjective
  • When cut along the horizontal axis, however, the petal segments remained unchanged.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The horizontal two-layer dashboard integrates a deep storage tray underneath and pairs with a distinctive double-D-cut steering wheel.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of horizontal
Adjective
  • The intersection of Route 229 and Pine Street/Mountain Road has been flagged as the city’s single most crash-prone crossing.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • He’s steeped in these platforms, professionally invested, and not prone to conspiratorial concerns about insider trading or game fixing.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of prone
Adjective
  • The cast iron hand held press at the flat top grill has an accumulation of encrusted grease.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • At the denouement, Kember is completely alone, his flat, narcotized baritone dripping onto the faded guitar notes like melted mercury.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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