relax

/rɪˈlæks/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈlæks/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈlaks/ (ame, mw)

relax — verb

  • relaxpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • relaxeshe / she / it
  • relaxedpast simple
  • relaxing-ing form

1. to stop feeling worried or nervous and become calmer, either by resting, doing s

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to stop feeling worried or nervous and become calmer, either by resting, doing something you enjoy, or having someone help you settle down.

例句

Constanza likes to relax by taking a long hot bath after work.

intransitive: relax by + [activity]

The soft music helped the baby relax and fall asleep.

intransitive: relax + and + [verb]

同義詞
  • unwind

    Informal; emphasizes releasing tension after stress

  • chill out

    Very informal; common in casual spoken English

  • decompress

    Slightly more formal; suggests recovering from pressure

反義詞
  • tense up

    The opposite physical and emotional reaction

  • stress out

    Informal phrasal verb, opposite emotional state

文法句型

relax + by + [activity]

relax + and + [verb]

[activity] + relaxes + [person]

用法筆記

Frequently used in the imperative mood as friendly advice: 'Relax!' meaning 'Do not worry.' The intransitive form is far more common than the transitive one.

常見錯誤

❌I relaxed myself on the sofa after work.
✅I relaxed on the sofa after work.
💡When talking about your own calmness, 'relax' is intransitive; you do not need 'myself.'
❌The teacher relaxed the students by telling a joke.' (when meaning 'made calm')
✅The teacher helped the students relax by telling a joke.
💡'Relax' as a transitive verb works, but 'help someone relax' is more natural for causing calmness in a person.

2. to cause a specific muscle or body part to become less tense and more loose, or

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to cause a specific muscle or body part to become less tense and more loose, or to naturally stop being tight.

例句

The massage therapist told Lan to relax her shoulders and breathe deeply.

transitive: relax + [body part] as direct object

Samir relaxed his leg muscles after the long run by doing gentle stretches.

同義詞
  • loosen

    More general; can apply to objects other than body parts

  • slacken

    More formal; often used in medical or technical writing

反義詞
  • tighten

    Direct opposite action for muscles

  • tense

    Specifically for muscles becoming tight

文法句型

relax + [body part]

[body part] + relaxes

用法筆記

Commonly used with specific body-part nouns as direct objects: relax your shoulders, relax your jaw, relax your muscles. When used intransitively, the subject is the body part itself.

常見錯誤

❌I relaxed my mind by closing my eyes.' (mixing senses)
✅I relaxed my shoulders by rolling them gently.
💡'Relax' with a body part is physical and literal; for mental calmness, use sense 1.

3. to officially make a rule, law, limit, or control less strict or severe.

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to officially make a rule, law, limit, or control less strict or severe.

例句

The school relaxed its dress code so students could wear casual clothes to class.

transitive: relax + [policy/rule]

The government plans to relax the visa rules for visitors from certain countries.

同義詞
  • ease

    Similar meaning but slightly less formal; common in news reporting

  • loosen

    Informal alternative; suggests making something less tight

  • liberalize

    Formal; typically used for laws, trade, and economic policies

反義詞
  • tighten

    Direct opposite; make rules stricter

  • strengthen

    Make controls more powerful or severe

文法句型

relax + [rule/law/policy/restriction]

用法筆記

Subject is typically an authority such as a government, school, company, or official body. The object is always an abstract noun referring to a rule or restriction — never a person.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher relaxed the students by cancelling the test.' (confusing with sense 1)
✅The teacher relaxed the grading standards for the final project.
💡Here 'relaxed' means 'made less strict,' not 'made calmer.'

4. to use chemical products to turn curly or wavy hair into a straight or less curl

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to use chemical products to turn curly or wavy hair into a straight or less curly texture.

例句

Ada decided to relax her hair for the summer wedding next month.

transitive: relax + [possessive] + hair

The hairdresser warned Quinn not to relax her hair more than twice a year.

同義詞
  • straighten

    Broader meaning; includes both chemical and heat methods

反義詞
  • curl

    Opposite process; making straight hair curly

  • perm

    Specific chemical process to add curls

文法句型

relax + [hair]

用法筆記

This sense refers specifically to chemical straightening, not to temporary straightening with a hair dryer or flat iron. The noun form 'relaxer' is common: 'hair relaxer.'

常見錯誤

❌I relaxed my hair with a blow dryer this morning.
✅I relaxed my hair at the salon using a chemical treatment.
💡This sense is only for chemical straightening, not heat styling.

5. to intentionally reduce the amount of energy, focus, or speed you are putting in

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

to intentionally reduce the amount of energy, focus, or speed you are putting into something.

例句

Baraka relaxed his efforts after building a big lead in the basketball game.

transitive: relax + [effort/guard]

The team relaxed their pace after taking a three-goal lead in the second half.

同義詞
  • ease up

    Phrasal verb; slightly more informal

  • let up

    Often paired with 'on': 'let up on your efforts'

反義詞
  • intensify

    Formal; opposite of reducing effort

  • step up

    Informal phrasal verb; opposite of easing off

文法句型

relax + [effort/guard/pace]

relax + [possessive] + [abstract noun]

用法筆記

Often carries a slightly negative implication — suggesting someone should keep trying hard but has stopped. Common fixed collocations: relax your efforts, relax your guard, relax your pace.

常見錯誤

❌He relaxed his homework after finishing the easy part.' (wrong object)
✅He relaxed his efforts after finishing the main part of the project.
💡The object must be an abstract noun like effort, guard, pace, or attention, not a concrete task.