relax

Verb

• make less active or fast
  • He slackened his pace as he got tired
    
  • Don't relax your efforts now
    

• become less severe or strict
  • The rules relaxed after the new director arrived
    

• make less severe or strict
  • The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught
    

• become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner
  • our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group
    

• cause to feel relaxed
  • A hot bath always relaxes me
    

• become loose or looser or less tight
  • The noose loosened
    
  • the rope relaxed
    

• make less taut
  • relax the tension on the rope
    

• become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
  • He relaxed in the hot tub
    
  • Let's all relax after a hard day's work
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  slack , slacken , slack up , loosen , loosen up , unstrain , unlax , unwind , make relaxed , loose , unbend , decompress , slow down
• Antonyms: 
  tense , strain , tense up , stiffen