The art of relaxing is a complex journey, but our ordinary words often describe it with a single, monotonous note. When terms like “relax” or “rest” can’t fully capture the restoration of energy, the peace of mind, or the beauty of stillness, you need a language with greater depth.
This article is your new rhythm for unwinding. We’ve compiled a unique collection of Idioms for Relax, phrases that will help you articulate ideas about rest, recovery, and serenity with vivid, insightful imagery. It’s time to make your stories about finding peace as meaningful and authentic as the quiet moments themselves.
Best Idioms for Relax
1. Take It Easy
Meaning: To relax and avoid stress or overexertion.
In a Sentence:
Take it easy this weekend and just rest.
She told him to take it easy after a long day.
Other Ways to Say: Slow down, Chill out, Relax
2. Calm Before the Storm
Meaning: A peaceful period before a busy or stressful time.
In a Sentence:
Enjoy the calm before the storm; work starts tomorrow.
This quiet moment is the calm before the storm.
Other Ways to Say: Peaceful lull, Quiet before chaos, Brief respite
3. Chill
Meaning: To relax or hang out casually, often with a cool vibe.
In a Sentence:
Let’s chill by the pool this afternoon.
She’s chilling with a book to unwind.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, Hang out, Take it easy
4. Put Your Feet Up
Meaning: To rest or relax, often by sitting with feet elevated.
In a Sentence:
Put your feet up and enjoy the evening.
He put his feet up after a tiring day.
Other Ways to Say: Kick back, Unwind, Take a load off
5. Unwind
Meaning: To release stress or tension, like uncoiling a spring.
In a Sentence:
She unwinds with a glass of wine after work.
He needs to unwind after that stressful meeting.
Other Ways to Say: De-stress, Relax, Loosen up
6. Chillax
Meaning: A blend of chill and relax, meaning to calm down casually.
In a Sentence:
Let’s chillax with some music tonight.
She’s chillaxing on the couch with a movie.
Other Ways to Say: Chill out, Take it easy, Decompress
7. Decompress
Meaning: To relieve pressure or stress, like a system releasing air.
In a Sentence:
He needs to decompress after the intense project.
She decompressed by taking a long walk.
Other Ways to Say: Unwind, De-stress, Relax
8. Let Your Hair Down
Meaning: To relax and behave freely, letting go of inhibitions.
In a Sentence:
Let your hair down and dance at the party.
She let her hair down with friends on vacation.
Other Ways to Say: Loosen up, Have fun, Be carefree
9. Take Your Mind Off Something
Meaning: To relax by distracting yourself from worries or stress.
In a Sentence:
Watch a movie to take your mind off work.
She reads to take her mind off daily stress.
Other Ways to Say: Distract yourself, Unwind, Shift focus
10. De-stress
Meaning: To reduce or eliminate stress, often through relaxing activities.
In a Sentence:
Yoga helps her de-stress after a long day.
He de-stresses by listening to calm music.
Other Ways to Say: Unwind, Relax, Ease tension
11. Ease Off
Meaning: To reduce effort or intensity, allowing relaxation.
In a Sentence:
Ease off and take a break from work.
She eased off to enjoy a relaxed weekend.
Other Ways to Say: Slow down, Take it easy, Back off
12. Have a Blast
Meaning: To enjoy yourself thoroughly, often in a relaxed, fun way.
In a Sentence:
We had a blast chilling at the beach.
She’s having a blast relaxing with friends.
Other Ways to Say: Have fun, Enjoy yourself, Party hard
13. Rest on Your Laurels
Meaning: To relax and rely on past achievements instead of pushing forward.
In a Sentence:
Don’t rest on your laurels; enjoy some downtime.
He’s resting on his laurels after the big win.
Other Ways to Say: Take a break, Relax on success, Coast
14. Wind Down
Meaning: To gradually relax after activity or stress.
In a Sentence:
She winds down with a book before bed.
He’s winding down after a hectic week.
Other Ways to Say: Unwind, Decompress, Slow down
15. At Leisure
Meaning: In a relaxed state, with no hurry or obligations.
In a Sentence:
She’s at leisure, enjoying her day off.
He spent the weekend at leisure by the lake.
Other Ways to Say: Relaxed, Free time, At ease
Related Post: 50 Useful Idioms for Journey and Adventure
16. Bask in the Moment
Meaning: To relax and fully enjoy the present, like soaking in sunlight.
In a Sentence:
Bask in the moment and forget your worries.
She’s basking in the moment of pure calm.
Other Ways to Say: Soak it up, Savor the moment, Relish
17. Be at Peace with the World
Meaning: To feel completely relaxed and content, free from stress.
In a Sentence:
She’s at peace with the world after meditating.
He felt at peace with the world on vacation.
Other Ways to Say: Serene, Content, Stress-free
18. Kick Back
Meaning: To relax casually, often in a laid-back manner.
In a Sentence:
Let’s kick back and watch a movie tonight.
He kicked back with a cold drink by the pool.
Other Ways to Say: Chill, Take it easy, Lounge
19. Loosen Up
Meaning: To relax and become less tense or formal.
In a Sentence:
Loosen up and enjoy the party!
She loosened up after a few deep breaths.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, Unwind, Let go
20. Mellow Out
Meaning: To become calm and relaxed, often after stress.
In a Sentence:
He needs to mellow out after that argument.
She mellowed out with some soothing music.
Other Ways to Say: Calm down, Chill, De-stress
21. Pull Yourself Together
Meaning: To regain composure and relax after emotional stress.
In a Sentence:
Pull yourself together and take a deep breath.
She pulled herself together to relax after the chaos.
Other Ways to Say: Calm down, Get a grip, Compose yourself
22. Take a Break
Meaning: To pause work or activity to relax and rest.
In a Sentence:
Take a break and grab some coffee.
He took a break to relax from the project.
Other Ways to Say: Rest, Pause, Step away
23. Take a Breather
Meaning: To take a short rest to relax and recover energy.
In a Sentence:
Take a breather and come back refreshed.
She took a breather after the long meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Catch your breath, Rest briefly, Pause
24. Recharge Your Batteries
Meaning: To rest and regain energy, like recharging a device.
In a Sentence:
She’s recharging her batteries with a weekend getaway.
He recharged his batteries by napping.
Other Ways to Say: Refresh, Rest up, Boost energy
25. Cool Your Jets
Meaning: To calm down and relax, especially when overly excited.
In a Sentence:
Cool your jets and take it easy for a bit.
She told him to cool his jets and relax.
Other Ways to Say: Calm down, Slow down, Chill out
26. Let Off Steam
Meaning: To release stress or tension through relaxing activities.
In a Sentence:
He let off steam by going for a run.
She lets off steam dancing to loud music.
Other Ways to Say: Blow off steam, De-stress, Vent
27. Catch Your Breath
Meaning: To pause and relax, often to regain composure.
In a Sentence:
Catch your breath and relax for a moment.
He caught his breath after the intense day.
Other Ways to Say: Take a breather, Pause, Rest briefly
28. Lay Low
Meaning: To stay out of the spotlight and relax quietly.
In a Sentence:
She’s laying low to relax after the drama.
He laid low for a week to unwind.
Other Ways to Say: Stay quiet, Keep a low profile, Chill
29. Ease Your Mind
Meaning: To relax by relieving mental stress or worry.
In a Sentence:
A walk will ease your mind after work.
She eased her mind with a meditation session.
Other Ways to Say: Calm your mind, De-stress, Soothe worries
30. Take a Load Off
Meaning: To relax by removing burdens or stress, often physically sitting.
In a Sentence:
Take a load off and sit for a while.
He took a load off after a long day.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, Put your feet up, Unwind
31. Soak Up the Moment
Meaning: To fully relax and enjoy the present experience.
In a Sentence:
Soak up the moment and enjoy the sunset.
She’s soaking up the moment by the beach.
Other Ways to Say: Savor the moment, Bask, Relish
32. Simmer Down
Meaning: To calm down and relax after being upset or excited.
In a Sentence:
Simmer down and relax; it’s not a big deal.
He simmered down with a cup of tea.
Other Ways to Say: Calm down, Cool off, Settle
33. Rest Easy
Meaning: To relax with peace of mind, free from worry.
In a Sentence:
Rest easy knowing the work is done.
She’s resting easy after finishing the project.
Other Ways to Say: Relax calmly, Be at ease, Unwind
34. Breathe Easy
Meaning: To relax after a stressful situation is resolved.
In a Sentence:
You can breathe easy now; the deadline’s met.
She breathed easy after the exam was over.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, De-stress, Feel relieved
35. Let It Go
Meaning: To relax by releasing stress or grudges.
In a Sentence:
Let it go and relax; it’s not worth the worry.
He let it go to enjoy a relaxed evening.
Other Ways to Say: Move on, Release tension, Drop it
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Cool That Breeze Through Talk
36. Lounge Around
Meaning: To relax lazily, often doing little or nothing.
In a Sentence:
She lounged around all day to relax.
He’s lounging around, enjoying a lazy Sunday.
Other Ways to Say: Chill out, Hang out, Loaf
37. Take Five
Meaning: To take a short break to relax or rest.
In a Sentence:
Let’s take five and relax for a bit.
She took five to unwind during the workday.
Other Ways to Say: Take a breather, Short break, Pause
38. At Ease
Meaning: In a relaxed and comfortable state, free from tension.
In a Sentence:
He’s at ease lounging by the fire.
She felt at ease after a relaxing bath.
Other Ways to Say: Relaxed, Comfortable, Stress-free
39. Cool as a Cucumber
Meaning: Extremely calm and relaxed, even under pressure.
In a Sentence:
She’s cool as a cucumber during stressful times.
He stayed cool as a cucumber, relaxing easily.
Other Ways to Say: Calm, Composed, Laid-back
40. Let Your Guard Down
Meaning: To relax and be less defensive or cautious.
In a Sentence:
Let your guard down and enjoy the moment.
She let her guard down to relax with friends.
Other Ways to Say: Loosen up, Be open, Relax
41. Drift Off
Meaning: To relax so deeply you fall asleep or lose focus.
In a Sentence:
She drifted off while relaxing on the hammock.
He drifted off during a relaxing meditation.
Other Ways to Say: Doze off, Zone out, Slip away
42. Take the Edge Off
Meaning: To reduce stress or tension, helping you relax.
In a Sentence:
A hot tea takes the edge off after work.
He took the edge off with a relaxing walk.
Other Ways to Say: Ease tension, De-stress, Soothe
43. Zen Out
Meaning: To relax deeply, often with a meditative or calm vibe.
In a Sentence:
She zenned out with some yoga to relax.
He’s zenning out, listening to ambient sounds.
Other Ways to Say: Chill out, Find peace, Mellow out
44. Slip into Neutral
Meaning: To relax by disengaging from effort, like a car in neutral gear.
In a Sentence:
Slip into neutral and enjoy the weekend.
She slipped into neutral to relax after work.
Other Ways to Say: Take it easy, Unwind, Coast
45. Melt Away Stress
Meaning: To relax so completely that stress disappears.
In a Sentence:
A massage helps her melt away stress.
He melted away stress with a hot bath.
Other Ways to Say: Dissolve tension, De-stress, Relax fully
46. Hang Loose
Meaning: To stay relaxed and carefree, often with a laid-back attitude.
In a Sentence:
Hang loose and enjoy the beach vibes.
He’s hanging loose, relaxing without a care.
Other Ways to Say: Stay chill, Be carefree, Relax
47. Catch Some Z’s
Meaning: To relax by taking a nap or sleeping.
In a Sentence:
She caught some Z’s to relax this afternoon.
He’s catching some Z’s to recharge.
Other Ways to Say: Nap, Sleep, Rest
48. Soothe Your Soul
Meaning: To relax deeply, calming your emotions or spirit.
In a Sentence:
Nature walks soothe her soul after a tough day.
He soothes his soul with relaxing music.
Other Ways to Say: Calm your spirit, Find peace, Unwind
49. Go with the Flow
Meaning: To relax by accepting things as they come, without resistance.
In a Sentence:
Go with the flow and relax this weekend.
She’s going with the flow, staying relaxed.
Other Ways to Say: Take it easy, Be laid-back, Roll with it
50. Find Your Zen
Meaning: To relax by achieving a state of calm and balance.
In a Sentence:
She found her zen meditating by the lake.
He finds his zen relaxing with deep breaths.
Other Ways to Say: Reach calm, Center yourself, Unwind
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Relax
- After a week of intense deadlines, all I want to do this weekend is _________________________ and not think about work.
- I know you’re stressed, but you just need to _________________________ and let go of the things you can’t control.
- The moment she got home, she changed into comfortable clothes and _________________________ with a good book.
- After that intense meeting, he needed to _________________________ before he could even think about the next task.
- I’m so tired. I think I’ll go _________________________ on the couch and just watch some movies.
- The period before the exams is always very stressful, but this quiet week is the _________________________.
- He was so angry when he arrived, but a few minutes of quiet time helped him _________________________.
- I try to _________________________ after a long day by listening to calming music.
- She took a walk in the park to _________________________ after the difficult conversation.
- If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just _________________________ for a few minutes and get a coffee.
Answer Key
- take it easy
- let it go
- put her feet up
- decompress
- kick back
- calm before the storm
- simmer down
- unwind
- ease her mind
- take a breather
Conclusion
Your journey of discovery has led you to a linguistic safe harbor for moments of rest. The phrases in this Idioms for Relax collection are not just descriptions; they are tools to help you anchor your soul after the storm. Use them to make your stories about peace as profound and authentic as the quiet moments themselves.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
