RELAXATION Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

relaxation

noun

ˌrē-ˌlak-ˈsā-shən

Definition of relaxation

as in recreation

activity engaged in to amuse oneself what do people in this jerkwater town do for relaxation?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rest

freedom from activity or labor meditating in a state of total relaxation

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 relaxation The property was designed to bring families together with plenty of space for both private relaxation and communal activities. — Mary Holland, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026 Chamomile contains apigenin, an antioxidant that may bind to certain brain receptors linked to relaxation. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 17, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026 Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters involved in sleep and supports muscle relaxation. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 17, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026 Parents don’t need to feel guilty if their teens aren’t constantly busy—unstructured time can foster self-reflection and relaxation. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for relaxation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relaxation

Noun

Her administration has invested in closing critical gaps, improving connectivity, and expanding access to outdoor recreation across the state.

— Andrew Kimball, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026
Bit by bit—which is the way with walls—my interest and knowledge deepened until what had begun as recreation morphed into a hobby job, mending other people’s walls.

— Matt Seaton, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026

Definition of recreation

Noun

The team celebrated Evenepoel’s stage win with champagne, and the next day, a rest day barbecue for team staff.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
For a wellness culture already obsessed with quantifying rest, circadian scores are the number the sleep score never quite delivered.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of rest

Noun

Residents from Minnesota to Washington, DC, told CNN the noxious air has disrupted their lives, seeping into everything from their health and leisure to their businesses and family life.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
The demonstration was held on July 15 at Liuxing Street in Yining City, a national-level tourism and leisure district known for its distinctive hexagonal street layout.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026

Definition of leisure

Noun

Photo courtesy of Easterseals For more than 40 years, the Media Access Awards has been one of the entertainment industry’s few dedicated platforms for recognizing disability representation on screen.

— Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
In an era of entertainment increasingly dependent on franchises, Christopher Nolan has turned his name into one of them.

— Gene Park, Washington Post, 17 July 2026

Definition of entertainment

Noun

The west is symbolic of death in mythology, but also connected to the land of Elysium, the final resting place for Greek heroes.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
When Princess Ita’s final resting place was first excavated by French archeologist Jacques de Morgan in the late 1800s, Ita was somewhat of an afterthought, Hashesh says.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 17 July 2026

Definition of resting

Noun

Despite a slight weight penalty, the Spider’s open-top experience is unmatched, blending power with driving enjoyment.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 15 July 2026
On its face, reading is a form of stress-reducing enjoyment that is exceptionally convenient and, thanks to public libraries, even free.

— Jen Benka, Time, 14 July 2026

Definition of enjoyment

Browse Nearby Words

relaxant

relaxation

relaxed

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Style

“Relaxation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relaxation. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of relaxation

noun

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