Word
relax
Phoneticsre·lax, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈɫæks/
UK/ɹɪlˈæks/
Definitions
01to rest and calm down
A1 · Beginner
v. to rest and stop feeling worried or stressed.
v. to become less tense, anxious, or stressed; to engage in recreation or rest.
“After a long day at work, I like to relax by listening to music.”
“Many professionals find it difficult to relax fully during their holidays, as they feel a constant urge to check their work emails.”
Usage
often used as an intransitive verb without an object.
02to loosen muscles
B1 · Intermediate Medicine
v. to make your muscles or body less tight.
v. to make a part of the body less rigid or tense; to reduce muscular contraction.
“Try to relax your shoulders and breathe deeply.”
“The therapist instructed the patient to relax his jaw muscles to alleviate the tension headaches he had been experiencing.”
Usage
can be used transitively with a body part as the object.
Synonyms
03to make rules less strict
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law Formal
v. to make a rule, law, or control less severe.
v. to make a rule, law, or restriction less strict or more lenient.
日本語:緩和する※
Español:relajar
“The government decided to relax the travel restrictions for the summer.”
“Economists argued that the central bank should relax its lending criteria to encourage small business growth during the recession.”
Usage
usually takes an abstract noun like 'rules', 'laws', or 'restrictions' as an object.
Antonyms
In Japanese
to relax; to feel at home
to loosen; to slacken
relief; mitigation; alleviation
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Etymology
From Middle English relaxen, from Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”). By surface analysis, re- + lax (“open, free, loose”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/relax
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0