as in to relax
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
after she gets home from work, she needs some time to decompress before preparing dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in relaxation
freedom from activity or labor
the waitstaff gets a welcome period of decompression between the lunch and dinner rushes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 decompress
John Shipley, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
This decompressing period changed the ecosystem a lot of what’s going on [inside me].
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Plus, the unboxing and decompression was easy enough for Moon to set it up alone.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decompress
Verb
Kaprizov spent much of his summer in Russia hiking with friends, miles from cell service, decompressing from a trying season that went from being an early Hart Trophy candidate to missing 41 games with a lower body injury.
—John Shipley, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
This decompressing period changed the ecosystem a lot of what’s going on [inside me].
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Found in translation In a way, human language acts as a compression and decompression scheme—the listener must decompress the meaning of words in the same way the speaker intended when encoding the message for them to be properly understood.
—ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Plus, the unboxing and decompression was easy enough for Moon to set it up alone.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decompress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompress
Verb
-
Guests can also opt to relax by the 82-foot resort pool.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Tranquility reigns here, inviting you to truly relax and find peace.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Here’s hoping her time away allows the singer some rest and relaxation after too many hours in the spotlight.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Hamilton Chaise Sectional Sofa Made from a soft polyester blend, this couch has deep seats designed for ultimate relaxation.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Prioritize your rest and peace of mind by being as honest as possible.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
She was invited to join Unrivaled after her rookie season but elected for some rest after playing a full calendar year that started with her senior season in Iowa.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decompress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompress. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share