RELAX

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does relax mean? 

• RELAX (verb)
  The verb RELAX has 8 senses:

1. become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

2. make less taut

3. become loose or looser or less tight

4. cause to feel relaxed

5. become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

6. make less severe or strict

7. become less severe or strict

8. make less active or fast

  Familiarity information: RELAX used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RELAX (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they relax    ... he / she / it relaxes   
Past simple: relaxed   
Past participle: relaxed   
-ing form: relaxing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind

Context example:

Let's all relax after a hard day's work

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "relax"):

vege out; vegetate (engage in passive relaxation)

sit back; take it easy (settle into a comfortable sitting position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue relax

Antonym:

tense (become tense, nervous, or uneasy)

Derivation:

relaxant (tending to relax or relieve muscular or nervous tension)

relaxation (freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility))

relaxation ((physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make less taut

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

relax; unbend

Context example:

relax the tension on the rope

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

loose; loosen (make loose or looser)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "relax"):

unbrace (remove from tension)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

relaxation ((physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers)

relaxer (any agent that produces relaxation)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become loose or looser or less tight

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

loose; loosen; relax

Context example:

the rope relaxed

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

weaken (become weaker)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

relaxation (an occurrence of control or strength weakening)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to feel relaxed

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

loosen up; make relaxed; relax; unlax; unstrain; unwind

Context example:

A hot bath always relaxes me

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)

Cause:

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "relax"):

unbend (release from mental strain, tension, or formality)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to relax Sue

Antonym:

tense (cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious)

Derivation:

relaxant (a drug that relaxes and relieves tension)

relaxant (tending to relax or relieve muscular or nervous tension)

relaxation (a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry)

relaxer (any agent that produces relaxation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen up; relax

Context example:

our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

relaxation (a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Make less severe or strict

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen; relax

Context example:

The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

loosen; relax (become less severe or strict)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

relaxation (the act of making less strict)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Become less severe or strict

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

loosen; relax

Context example:

The rules relaxed after the new director arrived

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

loosen; relax (make less severe or strict)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

relaxation (the act of making less strict)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Make less active or fast

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

relax; slack; slack up; slacken

Context example:

Don't relax your efforts now

Hypernyms (to "relax" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

relaxation (an occurrence of control or strength weakening)

 Context examples 

Once a period of mountain-building ends, these fluid layers (Earth's upper mantle and Titan's liquid ocean) allow the crust to relax.

(Cassini Spies Titan's Tallest Peaks, NASA)

They also improved the heart muscle cell’s ability to contract and relax.

(New stem cell combination could help to repair damaged hearts, University of Cambridge)

A condition in which a person is unable to relax and be still.

(Agitation, NCI Dictionary)

A synthetic quinazoline compound with smooth muscle relaxing activity.

(Alfuzosin, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent may induce tachycardia, inhibit secretions, and relax smooth muscles.

(Atropine, NCI Thesaurus)

A substance that relaxes muscle tissue in blood vessels and in the prostate gland, which improves the flow of urine and blood.

(Alpha-adrenergic antagonist, NCI Dictionary)

You are one sign where being unplugged doesn’t relax you the way it might others—being unplugged makes you worry!

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Zilla relaxed her sour mouth long enough to sigh her satisfaction.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The hand at my throat relaxed. I breathed. It fluttered and tightened again.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A drug used to block nerve stimulation of muscles and glands and relax smooth muscles.

(Atropine sulfate, NCI Dictionary)