Definition

Adjective: - Not relaxed; tense or strained: Describes a state of being physically, mentally, or emotionally tense, not at ease, or lacking in looseness or freedom. - Not made less strict or severe; not loosened: Describes something, such as rules, efforts, or attention, that remains intense, vigilant, or stringent without being eased.

Usage

The adjective "unrelaxed" directly modifies a noun to describe a state of tension or strictness. It is the opposite of "relaxed." It can describe a person's physical posture, mental state, emotional condition, or the nature of an abstract quality like effort or vigilance.

Examples

• Describing a person's state:
  • She felt unrelaxed and anxious throughout the entire job interview.
  • His unrelaxed posture at the dinner table made everyone else feel uneasy.
• Describing an abstract quality:
  • The security team maintained unrelaxed vigilance throughout the night.
  • He worked with unrelaxed concentration until the project was complete.

Advanced Usage

• In a literary or formal context: Often used to describe a sustained, intense effort or a pervasive atmosphere of strain.
  • The negotiations continued in an unrelaxed atmosphere of mutual suspicion.

Variants and Related Words

• Unrelaxing (adj): Not causing relaxation; making one feel tense.
  • The unrelaxing noise from the construction site made it impossible to concentrate.
• Relaxed (adj): The direct antonym, meaning free from tension or anxiety.
• Tense (adj): Similar in meaning to "unrelaxed" when describing a state of nervous strain.
• Strained (adj): Similar in meaning, often describing a tense atmosphere or relationship.

Synonyms

• Tense
• Strained
• Uptight
• Stiff
• Edgy
• Nervous

Antonyms

• Relaxed
• Calm
• At ease
• Loose
• Easygoing

Related Phrases

• In an unrelaxed manner: Doing something while being tense or not at ease.
  • He greeted the guests in an unrelaxed manner, clearly worried about the event.
• Unrelaxed attention: Focus that is intense and unwavering.
  • The surgeon operated with unrelaxed attention to every detail.

Adjective

1. nor relaxed
   • his life was drawing to a close in baffled zeal and unrelaxed strain- U.B.Phillips