1
as in to unwind
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
she took deep breaths to relax before going on stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to bask
to refrain from labor or exertion
I just want to kick back and relax after mowing that huge lawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relax
Wander the walking paths and bridges or spread out a picnic blanket and relax in the grass.
—
Midwest Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Salt water contains healing minerals and the sensation of immersing yourself in water has been found to be relaxing.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
Those minutes could be spent taking a nap or relaxing in a bubble bath.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
This roomy, durable chair features wide armrests and a reclined back that's perfect for relaxing outdoors.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relax
Midwest Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Salt water contains healing minerals and the sensation of immersing yourself in water has been found to be relaxing.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
Those minutes could be spent taking a nap or relaxing in a bubble bath.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
This roomy, durable chair features wide armrests and a reclined back that's perfect for relaxing outdoors.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for relax
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relax
Verb
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Abel is already moving to put his stamp on the roughly $300 billion basket, reportedly unwinding positions tied to former investment manager Todd Combs after his departure for JPMorgan at the end of 2025.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
-
First-year head coach David Adelman took an unusually long time to unwind before speaking to reporters.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Supreme Court loosened a provision of the Voting Rights Act that restricted redrawing congressional districts on the basis of race.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Erdoğan centralized power around himself but also pushed for loosening the country’s borders and extending Turkey’s influence into the region—into Syria, Iraq, Libya, Azerbaijan, and beyond—as a crucial part of Turkey’s new mission and ideology.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wildlife here is so prolific that guests aren’t permitted to walk about; rather they’re ferried about by safari vehicle, passing honking hippos, giant basking Nile crocodiles and huge numbers of butterflies and birds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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As humanity basks in the aftermath of the unprecedented success of Artemis II, which took humans back to the Moon for the first time in 54 years and brought them farther from Earth than ever before, many of us can’t help but think about grander goals.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Somebody who is just living greatness and never rests on that laurel, but is always pushing herself to expand as an artist.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The whole security architecture rests on those layers.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The cave itself is a form of thalassotherapy, using warm saltwater to help guests decompress in a setting reminiscent of a cenote, nearly 20 feet underground.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
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The two of us would go out and get a pizza crunch and hang out on a Friday night and decompress and chat about the scene.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The instinct to chill the bedroom tracks with how human bodies power down.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 May 2026
-
Here, homemade mango-jalapeño ice cubes chill a bubbly blend of wine and sparkling water.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Guests can now not only tick off both of the great apes with a two-stop trip, but also have plenty of other things to do in between—perhaps mountain biking and archery, or, for something more chilled out, basket weaving and coffee tasting.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
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What had seemed like a good way of chilling out was actually plunging me into a kind of crisis.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shoulder season falls between peak travel windows, after ski season winds down and before summer crowds arrive.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
-
The event kicks off the Friday before with Vogue’s annual Last Friday in April event and goes to the wee hours of Tuesday morning, when the last after-party winds down.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Relax.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relax. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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