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
-
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
-
relaxernoun
-
overrelaxverb
-
relaxableadjective
-
relaxativeadjective
-
relaxatoryadjective
-
relaxedadjective
-
unrelaxingadjective
-
relaxedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
relaxsimple
-
relaxessimple
-
have relaxedperfect
-
has relaxedperfect
-
am relaxingprogressive
-
are relaxingprogressive
-
is relaxingprogressive
-
have been relaxingperfect progressive
-
has been relaxingperfect progressive
Past
-
relaxedsimple
-
had relaxedperfect
-
was relaxingprogressive
-
were relaxingprogressive
-
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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Broward Cadre 8 Practice Vocab Jam
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
She thought she saw fear in Chad’s eyes, so she sang to him, and he seemed to relax.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
The primary bedroom is the perfect place to relax thanks to its large balcony, which offers sweeping views of the property’s lush setting.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
There is no time to relax on a Hallmark cruise if you’re all in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
If not, we just relax, watch TV and go to bed between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 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
Although Hart spends the majority of his time in New York, during the basketball offseason, he relaxes in Florida.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
It’s kind of like when you are staring at something and you unfix your eyes, and your body relaxes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
This disturbance relaxes the usual Raman selection rules and produces distinctive low-frequency Raman scattering.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 7, 2026
Lines such as “I love to count, it relaxes me and it gives me an achievable goal” point at a disquieting loneliness without going overboard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
The unbinding of one molecule of oxygen coordinately relaxes all the other clasps, like the crucial pin-piece pulled out from a child’s puzzle.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Would the flight attendants be so relaxed about that?
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
“You don’t see people so relaxed and so satisfied as when they’re sitting in front of a delicious plate of food that’s been prepared by someone’s loving hands,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026
In Tuesday's training session open to the media before City's trip to Leipzig, some players came out looking relaxed in groups but Anderson emerged by himself, doing kick-ups with a laser focus on the ball.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
It has a beautiful rooftop in the medina and feels relaxed but still very stylish.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
It felt safe there, relaxed, and I want to feel that again, and I can’t help wondering why I’ve not felt that way when Rhys holds me.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
“For example, Mailyan billed over $200,000 for purportedly providing Botox services to patients in California when she was actually relaxing on the beach in Cabo.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
After a tour around the country, what could be more relaxing than my colleagues’ suggestions about how to unwind this evening?
From Slate ● Oct. 29, 2026
"I think it's fair to say there were some bumps in the road in the first couple of episodes," she says, "but they do appear to be very slowly relaxing into their new roles."
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The main living and dining areas flow into one another, creating an airy setting for entertaining or relaxing at home.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
As afternoon turns to evening, he has us counting falling stars, which is a dull but relaxing task.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
