relax
Americanverb (used with object)
-
relaxes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
relaxed,
past participle, past
-
relaxing
present participle
-
to make less tense, rigid, or firm; make lax.
to relax the muscles.
-
to diminish the force of.
-
to slacken or abate, as effort, attention, etc.
-
to make less strict or severe, as rules, discipline, etc..
to relax the requirements for a license.
- Synonyms:
- ease
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to release or bring relief from the effects of tension, anxiety, etc..
A short swim always relaxes me.
verb (used without object)
-
relaxes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
relaxed,
past participle, past
-
relaxing
present participle
-
to become less tense, rigid, or firm.
-
to become less strict or severe; grow milder.
-
to reduce or stop work, effort, application, etc., especially for the sake of rest or recreation.
-
to release oneself from inhibition, worry, tension, etc.
verb
-
to make (muscles, a grip, etc) less tense or rigid or (of muscles, a grip, etc) to become looser or less rigid
-
(intr) to take rest or recreation, as from work or effort
on Sundays, she just relaxes
she relaxes by playing golf
-
to lessen the force of (effort, concentration, etc) or (of effort) to become diminished
-
to make (rules or discipline) less rigid or strict or (of rules, etc) to diminish in severity
-
(intr) (of a person) to become less formal; unbend
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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relaxernoun
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overrelaxverb
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relaxableadjective
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relaxativeadjective
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relaxatoryadjective
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relaxedadjective
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unrelaxingadjective
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relaxedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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relaxsimple
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relaxessimple
-
have relaxedperfect
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has relaxedperfect
-
am relaxingprogressive
-
are relaxingprogressive
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is relaxingprogressive
-
have been relaxingperfect progressive
-
has been relaxingperfect progressive
Past
-
relaxedsimple
-
had relaxedperfect
-
was relaxingprogressive
-
were relaxingprogressive
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had been relaxingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of relax
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English relaxen, from Latin relaxāre “to stretch out again, loosen,” equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + laxāre “to loosen,” derivative of laxus “loose, spacious, wide,” see lax 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Relax is a verb that describes feeling less stressed out or tense. If you want to relax after a crazy day at school, you might watch TV, take a nap, or do yoga to help you unwind. Relax can also refer to behavior that grows less formal or restrained, like a beach wedding where the bride and groom relax the usually formal ceremony by wearing casual clothing. Relax can also mean to become less tight. When you relax your grip on a pen, your hold loosens up. Relax can also refer to something that becomes less severe or strict. If your teacher would relax the attendance rules, you wouldn't keep getting in trouble for skipping class!
Vocabulary lists containing relax
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 5
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chapter 31: A Troubled Nation
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It's a perfect place to relax and enjoy the fresh air and freedom that we all need in our busy lives.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
“A light-filled sunroom provides the perfect space to relax, work, or enjoy views of the beautifully landscaped grounds year-round,” the listing describes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
While JPLers are already planning their celebrations, Roman coronagraph project manager Feng Zhao said the team won’t truly be able to relax “anytime soon.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Widespread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced France to relax some of its famously strict rules on cheese production, with authorities announcing Wednesday special measures for abondance, beaufort and comte.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Now that he was “all grown,” as Gran put it, he said he needed his weekends to relax.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
In the proposed experiments, researchers would rotate the defect's magnetic spin in different directions and measure how quickly it relaxes.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
Best part: The clippers work for cheap, and none of the promotional aspects need to be publicly disclosed, thanks to a federal-regulation loophole that relaxes transparency standards on ads that don’t sell tangible products.
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
As it bakes, it softens and relaxes, turning creamy at the edges while still holding its shape at the core.
From Salon ● Mar. 23, 2026
Spend the day at Cacupé Beach, grab a meal at Cumbuca and then enjoy the wide sandy beach where everyone plays soccer, swims and relaxes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Besides listening to music and dancing, sewing is the thing that relaxes me.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
In the hour or two before its broadcast on Thursday night, senior Reform figures, including those directly caught up in it, projected a sense of being relatively relaxed about it.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
He postponed the new duties a day later and eventually relaxed them.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
Hampton Court and Chiswick have also stopped digging over flowerbeds and relaxed about weeds.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
By nearly every headline measure, investors have never looked more relaxed in a year not short of wild rides.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Zheng relaxed visibly and settled on the hard earth floor, stretching himself out.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
“The idea was when everyone is relaxing, you should be working,” Kushner told Forbes in 2012.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
The home, which was built in 1980, was always meant to serve as a relaxing sanctuary, having been inspired by Balinese architecture.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Emily Savage, 25, had planned a relaxing Greece trip with her best friend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Some summer advice: Going for a dip is a relaxing way to beat the heat, but occasionally, something goes wrong.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
There was something relaxing about the steady drumming, so constant that it almost became inaudible without ever decreasing in volume.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
