as in soothing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
a relaxing cup of chamomile tea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in chilling
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
she took deep breaths to relax before going on stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loosening
to make less taut
relax the rope a bit so I can pick up the slack and tie this knot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in resting
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 relaxing
New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
The ground-floor Felice al Gabrielli Restaurant, K Lounge Bar, and 6,458-square-foot garden flow together to form ample space for dining and relaxing.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Some people use kratom to try to relieve depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, or to achieve a relaxing high.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Flying will get you from point A to B in the fastest way, but only someone with a private jet would call it relaxing.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Balmuda’s electric kettle will make your daily coffee or tea routine feel like a relaxing ritual.
—Elissa Suh, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2025
The cryotherapy requires three minutes in a minus-150-degree chamber, which, although not necessarily the most relaxing 180 seconds, does provide numerous benefits, such as reduced cortisol (better known as the stress hormone) and less inflammation.
—Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Several evening-routine videos show the creators editing their content, and Sweeney-Romero pointed out that even the most relaxing vlog still has a whiff of labor about it—because someone had to shoot, edit, and post it.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
Swing chairs out front make this a truly relaxing Music City retreat.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2025
Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025
Researchers have found that curcumin—the primary compound found in turmeric—has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help regulate blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 8 Sep. 2025
This year, MeTV ran a salute to summertime featuring brief clips of its regular characters relaxing and doing nothing for a few seconds.
—Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This trip for the Chiefs game was all about relaxing for the man in his 70s.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
The crowds thinned, the queues got easier, and the audiences lost their initial edge-of-seat poise, relaxing back into their seats.
—Blake Simons, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025
There’s no shortage of tourist boats (including the hop-on, hop-off Batobus), but for one that targets tiny sailors, check out Vedettes de Paris, which leads relaxing, one-hour excursions aboard fully electric boats, and caters specifically to passengers between 6 and 13.
—Elissa Garay, AFAR Media, 3 Sep. 2025
What To Take Home With You While a relaxing getaway does help reduce fatigue from a busy summer, a true reset trip will also give you tools to bring back with you to help maintain healthy habits at home.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But there is also potential significant changes on the regulatory landscape, with the FCC mulling relaxing or repealing broadcast ownership rules that could alter the power dynamics in carriage negotiations.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The researchers hypothesized that soft music has a relaxing effect, relieving the tension that makes carsickness worse, and joyful music might serve as distraction, activating the brain's reward systems.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
The ground-floor Felice al Gabrielli Restaurant, K Lounge Bar, and 6,458-square-foot garden flow together to form ample space for dining and relaxing.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Some people use kratom to try to relieve depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, or to achieve a relaxing high.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Flying will get you from point A to B in the fastest way, but only someone with a private jet would call it relaxing.
—Alesandra Dubin, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025
Balmuda’s electric kettle will make your daily coffee or tea routine feel like a relaxing ritual.
—Elissa Suh, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2025
The cryotherapy requires three minutes in a minus-150-degree chamber, which, although not necessarily the most relaxing 180 seconds, does provide numerous benefits, such as reduced cortisol (better known as the stress hormone) and less inflammation.
—Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Several evening-routine videos show the creators editing their content, and Sweeney-Romero pointed out that even the most relaxing vlog still has a whiff of labor about it—because someone had to shoot, edit, and post it.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2025
Swing chairs out front make this a truly relaxing Music City retreat.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Despite its size, though, the town packs a big punch with things to do and explore, and is an ideal spot for a relaxing mountain weekend away from it all.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025
Researchers have found that curcumin—the primary compound found in turmeric—has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help regulate blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 8 Sep. 2025
This year, MeTV ran a salute to summertime featuring brief clips of its regular characters relaxing and doing nothing for a few seconds.
—Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This trip for the Chiefs game was all about relaxing for the man in his 70s.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
The crowds thinned, the queues got easier, and the audiences lost their initial edge-of-seat poise, relaxing back into their seats.
—Blake Simons, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025
There’s no shortage of tourist boats (including the hop-on, hop-off Batobus), but for one that targets tiny sailors, check out Vedettes de Paris, which leads relaxing, one-hour excursions aboard fully electric boats, and caters specifically to passengers between 6 and 13.
—Elissa Garay, AFAR Media, 3 Sep. 2025
What To Take Home With You While a relaxing getaway does help reduce fatigue from a busy summer, a true reset trip will also give you tools to bring back with you to help maintain healthy habits at home.
—Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But there is also potential significant changes on the regulatory landscape, with the FCC mulling relaxing or repealing broadcast ownership rules that could alter the power dynamics in carriage negotiations.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relaxing
Adjective
-
Rana forces herself to create a soothing, familial tone.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The Office fans might find this generic workplace comedy soothing.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ready to dive into the bone-chilling world of The Conjuring?—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
First aid efforts should include moving the person to a cooler area, loosening clothing, and offering sips of water.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Far infrared heat is highly effective in loosening tight muscles and joints.—
Michelle Stansbury,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
It is said the bees gathered at the cemetery, resting on the tent over the grave and on the floral displays, returning to their hives after the service concluded.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Thomas dove in and swam with Malibu, popping up simultaneously from the water and resting their extremities — his arms, her fins — on the edge of the pool.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The soft fleece hoodie and coordinating wide-leg pants are perfect for chilly spaces, taking you from the airport to unwinding on your balcony before bed.—
Jacqueline Dole,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Aug. 2025
-
During a stay, guests can encounter a wealth of fascinating species spanning from white rhinos to African wild dogs to Grévy's zebras, while the property’s pool, terrace and spa are the perfect spots for unwinding after a long day of scoping out Kenya’s most marvelous megafauna.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And in recent years, Venice has offered its share of memorable red-carpet looks (think Lady Gaga and her haute couture headpiece) and viral moments that draw the attention of the world (a teary Brendan Fraser basking in a standing ovation).—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Now, Ragweed is intent on making the reunion permanent, and Folk sees a Stillwater return as the catalyst for that — as well as a chance to continue basking in the band’s 2025 homecoming.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Pippa writes with such a comforting wit that her books are like a sweet treat in book format.—
Tessa Bailey,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This Netflix romance is as comforting as a bowl of creamy butternut squash soup.—
Toni Fitzgerald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The most important thing as a woman is decompressing after the show — washing off all my makeup and doing my skincare [routine].—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
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Armstrong quit her job in January 2025 and spent a month decompressing before jetting off to Thailand and Vietnam in February.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relaxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relaxing. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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