as in to relax
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
after she gets home from work, she needs some time to decompress before preparing dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in relaxation
freedom from activity or labor
the waitstaff gets a welcome period of decompression between the lunch and dinner rushes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decompress
Lien De Pau, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Pool your resources when necessary and schedule breaks so that everyone has a chance to decompress.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2025
Also, take a decompressing bath in the middle of the day to wash away the stresses that have been weighing on your shoulders all year.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 26 Dec. 2024
One partner might need space to decompress, while the other may crave reassurance or connection.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decompress 
Verb
Relax: After years of hard work, give yourself permission to decompress.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Pool your resources when necessary and schedule breaks so that everyone has a chance to decompress.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2025
Also, take a decompressing bath in the middle of the day to wash away the stresses that have been weighing on your shoulders all year.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 26 Dec. 2024
One partner might need space to decompress, while the other may crave reassurance or connection.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decompress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompress
Verb
-
These drugs help treat high blood pressure by blocking calcium to help relax blood vessels.8 Because magnesium acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, taking magnesium supplements along with calcium channel blocker drugs may cause your blood pressure to drop too low.—
Ashley Wong,
Health,
3 Feb. 2025
-
Poses that stretch the area around the sciatica nerve, such as those that stretch the glutes or piriformis, or butt muscles, can help relax tense muscles that may cause more sciatic nerve pain.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Progressive muscle relaxation: A technique that involves consciously tensing and then relaxing muscle groups one by one.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
24 Jan. 2025
-
That, combined with increasingly rare moments of relaxation, keeps our bodies constantly overstimulated.—
Marie Bladt,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In the painting, there is caring (the one who is looking at the mother), there is rest (the one lying with eyes closed), and there is loneliness (the one looking away, the one looking down, the mother gazing into space).—
Karl Ove Knausgaard,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
-
The concept of sea level as an average is only one step in the long-term pursuit of a point of reference in a space that is never at rest, Hardenberg writes.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near decompress
Cite this Entry
“Decompress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompress. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share