overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

relax.

To make something loose.

5 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ɹɪˈlæks/
  1. To make something loose.

    transitive
    to relax a rope or cord
    to relax the muscles or sinews
  2. To make something loose. To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open.

    dated · transitive
    An aperient relaxes the bowels.
  3. To become loose.

    intransitive
  4. To relieve (someone or someone's mind) of stress; to enable to rest; to calm down.

    transitive
    Amusement relaxes the mind.
  5. To rest and become relieved of stress.

    intransitive
    I like to relax by listening to music.
  6. To make something less severe or tense.

    transitive
    to relax discipline
    to relax one's attention or endeavours
  7. To become less severe or tense.

    intransitive
    Tensions between the two countries have relaxed somewhat in recent weeks.
  8. To make something (such as codes and regulations) more lenient.

    transitive
  9. To become more lenient.

    intransitive
Where this word comes from

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”).

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

relax has 5 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

relax studiorelax workshello, relax

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.