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 An elevator runs from the ground floor to both the upper and lower levels, which are set up with additional spaces for rest and relaxation. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026 Sagal says his time working with athletes has underlined how important music is to them for relaxation. — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Quiet relaxation rooms and outdoor terraces are focused firmly on the surrounding peaks, encouraging guests to look up rather than down at their phones. — Vicki Power, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026 Paying attention to your own body’s needs, and making time for a quick, warm shower can be not only essential for skin health and odor control, but good for relaxation. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relaxation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relaxation

Noun

The money goes to state highways, county roads, public transit and local recreation projects.

— Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
But all the growth involved entertainment and recreation, as the subset involving hotel and food service workers lost 11,000 jobs in August and 2,900 over the year.

— Jim Turner, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of recreation

Noun

Bessent's Treasury Department is ratcheting up pressure on financial institutions as part of its effort to choke off trade and financial flows between Iran and rest of the world, fueling speculation that Chinese banks could be targeted.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
To spoil more of the joke’s punch lines would be criminal, but rest assured her son eventually confronts her about it.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of rest

Noun

Javi Borges, global Americas media and entertainment sector leader for accounting and consulting giant EY, asserts that entertainment companies need to also understand the sea change that is afoot in consumer tastes for leisure-time pursuits.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Freedom, mobility; who gets to be an artist; style, ornamentation, artifice; work, leisure; the counterculture; the denigration of femininity; West Coast oddballism.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of leisure

Noun

No stranger to controversy or criticism, Sweeney, 29, faced the music from Olympic athletes, entertainment icons and millions of keyboard warriors who voiced their opinions of the naked ad.

— Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
The appointment came a day after Disney named former YouTube executive Adam Smith chairman of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, putting him in charge of the company’s global entertainment streaming business.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of entertainment

Noun

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the final resting place of Saint Francis, who founded the Franciscan Order and continually championed peace, fraternity, and care of the natural world.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Officials called the dedication the first step in an ambitious process to improve the Tennessee airport near Parton’s final resting place.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of resting

Noun

So, your enjoyment of these shows, and continued support of these shows, is supporting my eradication.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
The suits say continuous noise from data centers’ cooling systems and power generators is substantially interfering with local neighbors’ use and enjoyment of their property — a legal standard for proving a private nuisance.

— Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of enjoyment

Noun

Colbert gifted Kimmel his Captain America shield, did a sketch-within-an-interview with his son impersonating a Kiwi police officer, and shaved for our amusement.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Piker reacted with surprise and amusement to his unexpected appearance during a livestream.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of amusement

Browse Nearby Words

relaxant

relaxation

relaxed

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“Relaxation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relaxation. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of relaxation

noun

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