as in to relax
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
he watches classic movie comedies as a way to de-stress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 de-stress
In theory, any vacation is meant to help you de-stress, unwind, and recharge.
—
Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2026
This includes beauty and barber shops, gym and fitness studios, health and beauty spas and massage parlors — perfect for de-stressing after the holidays.
—Ryley Amond, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Between holiday gift shopping, party planning, and traveling, everyone could use a little de-stressing this time of the year.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
The dogs visit children in schools and libraries, college students on de-stress days and people living in memory care, retirement, assisted living and health care facilities.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de-stress
Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2026
This includes beauty and barber shops, gym and fitness studios, health and beauty spas and massage parlors — perfect for de-stressing after the holidays.
—Ryley Amond, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Between holiday gift shopping, party planning, and traveling, everyone could use a little de-stressing this time of the year.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
The dogs visit children in schools and libraries, college students on de-stress days and people living in memory care, retirement, assisted living and health care facilities.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de-stress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-stress
relax
Verb
-
To do that, architects opened up the space, creating wide walkways and varied seating options with a mix of high-top, standard tables and six-person booths, to encourage service members to hang out and relax after they’re done eating.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
-
So relax, and go worry about that $39 trillion national debt instead.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“De-stress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-stress. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
