relax definition

1. become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
• examples: He relaxed in the hot tub
• examples: Let's all relax after a hard day's work
2. make less taut
• examples: relax the tension on the rope
3. cause to feel relaxed
• examples: A hot bath always relaxes me
4. become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner
• examples: our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group
5. make less severe or strict
• examples: The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught
6. become less severe or strict
• examples: The rules relaxed after the new director arrived