1
as in rests
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
as in loosens
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 basks
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 relaxes
House Bill 267 relaxes funding restrictions to the State Housing Initiatives Program, known as SHIP, which provides local governments with money to promote housing affordability for residents.
—
Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Néfissa relaxes with all generations of her sprawling family.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees after dark, the city activates enhanced Code Blue, which intensifies outreach and relaxes shelter rules to bring more people indoors.
—Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
The notice relaxes the safe harbor in reg.
—Carrie Brandon Elliot, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Potassium relaxes the muscles in your blood vessels, helping lower your blood pressure.
—Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2026
These medications prevent calcium from entering the muscle cells of blood and heart vessels, which relaxes blood vessels.
—Laura Schober, Health, 16 Jan. 2026
Through meditation, the mind naturally relaxes, settles into the present moment, and grants us access to our consciousness and our own innate intelligence.
—Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
The Ant and the Grasshopper As the ants work hard to store food for the winter, the grasshopper relaxes in the sunshine without a care in the world.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 2 Jan. 2026
Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Néfissa relaxes with all generations of her sprawling family.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
When temperatures drop below 32 degrees after dark, the city activates enhanced Code Blue, which intensifies outreach and relaxes shelter rules to bring more people indoors.
—Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
The notice relaxes the safe harbor in reg.
—Carrie Brandon Elliot, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Potassium relaxes the muscles in your blood vessels, helping lower your blood pressure.
—Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 20 Jan. 2026
These medications prevent calcium from entering the muscle cells of blood and heart vessels, which relaxes blood vessels.
—Laura Schober, Health, 16 Jan. 2026
Through meditation, the mind naturally relaxes, settles into the present moment, and grants us access to our consciousness and our own innate intelligence.
—Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
The Ant and the Grasshopper As the ants work hard to store food for the winter, the grasshopper relaxes in the sunshine without a care in the world.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relaxes
Verb
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Mike understands that energy is the foundation on which everything else rests, from process uptime to jobs and regional stability.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In the end, no bicameral or parallel governing structure emerged, and power now rests solely with the prime minister and the cabinet, a fact Saint-Cyr acknowledged in his speech.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When force is applied in the driving direction, torque tightens or loosens a fastener.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
13 Feb. 2026
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Being a fan of a cultural artifact means being a passionate reader (in a broader sense that also includes viewer, listener, audience, co-creator, and that also loosens and points out the porous border between work, creator, recipient).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Central Valley city basks in around 265 days of sunshine.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
4 Jan. 2026
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Like this Earth sign, this recurring float basks in abundance and is deliciously on-brand with the Thanksgiving staple.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When enforcement activity impedes the rights to assemble, document and criticize government action, that chills those rights, and the consequences extend beyond any single demonstration.—
Yohuru Williams,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
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Apartments in the capital are freezing, and when venturing outside people wear heavy layers of clothes against the bitter cold that chills to the bone.—
Vasilisa Stepanenko,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Such events often reflect leverage unwinds rather than fundamental shifts.—
Alice Liu,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Below, Usher gives AD a peek into his life in Atlanta, dad duties, and how a hitmaker unwinds at home.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Using contoured foam rollers built into an adjustable frame, the bed gently decompresses the spine while massaging muscles along the way.—
Joe Jackson,
Outside,
20 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relaxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relaxes. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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