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
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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
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Recent Examples of decompress
Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the full-body wiggle could help shake out the tension in your back, get your blood flowing, and decompress things a bit.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 12 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
Then a typical work day involves plenty more opportunities to decompress.
—Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the full-body wiggle could help shake out the tension in your back, get your blood flowing, and decompress things a bit.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 12 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
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If caught in a rip current, relax and float.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Oct. 2025
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This helps relax the fabric and keeps it from bunching up as much.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From delicious room service to luxury linens, booking a five-star hotel conjures feelings of rest and relaxation.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Oct. 2025
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My masseuse began with a consultation to assess my pain points and specific areas of focus before 60 minutes of pure relaxation ensued.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addition to health disparities, the constant grind within the industry of recording, touring, filming, traveling, and lack of rest, are not a far cry from the hustle of everyday men who work tirelessly.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
15 Oct. 2025
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From delicious room service to luxury linens, booking a five-star hotel conjures feelings of rest and relaxation.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decompress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompress. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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