15 Other Ways to Say RELAX in English

Hello English learners! Learning other ways to say relax can make your English sound more natural, varied, and expressive. Instead of always using relax, you can use useful alternatives such as chill out, unwind, wind down, take it easy, and put your feet up. In this lesson, you will learn 15 other ways to say relax in English, with clear meanings, example sentences, and tips on when to use each one.

Modern life can be busy, noisy, and exhausting. We work hard, rush from one task to another, and often forget to slow down. That is why it is so useful to know different ways to say relax in English.

After all, we do not always say simply relax. Native speakers often use a wide range of expressions such as chill out, unwind, wind down, and put your feet up. Some of these are informal, some are warm and friendly, and some are perfect for everyday conversation.

In this lesson, you will learn several natural alternatives to relax, with clear meanings and example sentences. By the end, you will have a much richer vocabulary for talking about rest, comfort, and taking things easy.

So, take a deep breath, put the kettle on, and let’s begin.

Why learn other ways to say relax?

Learning synonyms and related expressions helps you:

• sound more natural in English
• avoid repeating the same word again and again
• understand films, series, and conversations more easily
• express small differences in meaning and tone

For example, unwind often suggests relaxing after stress, while make yourself at home is something we say to a guest. So although all these expressions are connected to relaxation, they are not used in exactly the same way.

Let’s look at them one by one.

1. Chill out

Chill out is a very common informal phrasal verb meaning to relax and stop feeling worried, annoyed, or stressed.

• After four hours of work, I think we should take a break and chill out for a bit.
• Chill out, Jack! You do not need to finish everything today.
• We spent the evening listening to music and just chilling out.

This expression is informal, so it is best for conversation rather than formal writing.

2. Chillax

Chillax is a very informal and playful blend of chill and relax. It means to calm down and relax.

• Chillax, Sandy! The train is not due for another half hour.
• I just want to chillax on the beach all day.
• It’s the weekend at last, so I’m planning to stay home and chillax.

This word is very casual and slightly humorous. It sounds fine in friendly conversation, but it is not suitable for formal English.

3. Unwind

If you unwind, you begin to relax after a busy, stressful, or tense period.

• Going to the gym after work helps me unwind.
• I like to listen to jazz in the evening to unwind.
• A hot bath is the perfect way to unwind after a long day.

Unwind is a very useful everyday verb because it often suggests relaxing after pressure or stress.

4. Wind down

Wind down means to relax gradually after being busy or worried. It can also mean that an activity slowly comes to an end.

• I like to wind down in the evening with a good book.
• It took her a while to wind down after such a stressful week.
• We usually start winding down about an hour before bed.

This expression is especially useful for evening routines and bedtime habits.

5. Take it easy

Take it easy means relax, rest, and do not put too much pressure on yourself. It can also mean do not get upset.

• You’ve been working too hard. You need to take it easy this weekend.
• Take it easy — there’s no need to panic.
• After the operation, the doctor told him to take it easy for a few days.

This is one of the most common and useful expressions in English. It can refer to physical rest or emotional calm.

6. Slow down

If you slow down, you reduce the speed of your life or work and become less busy and stressed.

• The doctor told Michael to slow down if he wanted to stay healthy.
• You’ve been doing too much lately. You should slow down a bit.
• Sometimes we all need to slow down and enjoy the simple things.

This expression is often used when someone is living too fast or working too much.

7. Put your feet up

If you put your feet up, you sit down and relax, usually after being busy or tired.

• We’ve finished all the gardening, so now we can put our feet up and watch a film.
• I’ve been on my feet all day. I just want to put my feet up for half an hour.
• Come in, have a cup of tea, and put your feet up.

This expression creates a warm, cosy image and is very common in British English.

8. Make yourself at home

We say make yourself at home when we want a guest to feel relaxed and comfortable in our home.

• Come in and make yourself at home.
• Hi, Susana — make yourself at home. Would you like some coffee?
• Please make yourselves at home while I finish in the kitchen.

This expression is not about relaxing alone. It is used when welcoming other people.

9. Rest up

Rest up means to rest properly in order to recover your energy or health.

• You look exhausted. Go home and rest up.
• She stayed in bed all weekend to rest up after the flu.
• I need to rest up before next week — it’s going to be busy.

We often use this when someone is tired, ill, or recovering from something demanding.

10. Recharge your batteries

If you recharge your batteries, you rest so that you feel energetic again.

• I’m going away for a few days to recharge my batteries.
• A quiet weekend in the countryside helped me recharge my batteries.
• We all need time to recharge our batteries now and then.

This is a very common figurative expression for recovering your energy.

11. Switch off

If you switch off, you stop thinking about work, stress, or problems and allow yourself to relax mentally.

• I find it hard to switch off after a busy day.
• Reading helps me switch off in the evening.
• She went away for the weekend to switch off completely.

This expression often refers to mental relaxation, not just physical rest.

12. Kick back

Kick back is an informal expression meaning to relax completely and do very little.

• We spent the afternoon kicking back in the garden.
• Tonight I’m just going to order a pizza and kick back.
• On holiday, he loves to kick back by the pool.

This is a casual, friendly expression, especially common in spoken English.

13. Lounge around

If you lounge around, you spend time relaxing in a lazy, comfortable way, usually at home.

• On Sundays, I like to lounge around in my pyjamas.
• We spent the whole rainy afternoon lounging around and watching old films.
• She just wanted to lounge around and do nothing.

This expression suggests a lazy, restful kind of relaxation.

14. Take a breather

If you take a breather, you stop for a short rest after effort or activity.

• We’ve been cleaning all morning. Let’s take a breather.
• He sat down on a bench to take a breather.
• I just need five minutes to take a breather before I continue.

This is useful when you want to talk about a short break, not a whole day of rest.

15. Loosen up

Loosen up means to relax physically or emotionally and become less tense.

• You need to loosen up a bit and enjoy yourself.
• A warm bath helped me loosen up after the long journey.
• He was nervous at first, but after a while he loosened up.

This expression can describe both the body and the mood.

Common differences to remember

Although all of these expressions are related to relaxation, they are used in different ways.

For stress after work:

• unwind
• wind down
• switch off

For telling someone not to worry:

• relax
• chill out
• take it easy
• loosen up

For physical rest:

• put your feet up
• rest up
• take a breather

For guests:

• make yourself at home

For lazy free time:

• kick back
• lounge around
• chillax

That is why learning the context is just as important as learning the meaning.

Useful example sentences for everyday English

Here are a few more natural examples you can use:

• After such a hectic week, I just want to switch off and relax.
• We’re staying in tonight and kicking back with a film.
• You’ve been under a lot of pressure lately — you really need to unwind.
• Once the children were asleep, we finally had time to wind down.
• Come in, make yourself at home, and I’ll make us some tea.
• I’m going to put my feet up for a while after dinner.
• The holiday was just what I needed to recharge my batteries.

Final thoughts

Learning other ways to say relax will make your English sound more natural, flexible, and expressive. Some expressions are informal and playful, such as chill out and chillax, while others are more neutral and widely useful, such as unwind, wind down, and take it easy.

The most important thing is to notice how each expression is used. Relaxation is not always the same: sometimes we want to rest physically, sometimes we want to calm our mind, and sometimes we simply want to welcome someone warmly and help them feel comfortable.

So the next time life gets too busy, do not just say I want to relax. You might want to unwind, switch off, put your feet up, or simply take it easy.

That already sounds much more natural.

Quick practice

Which expression would you use in these situations?

1. You want your guest to feel comfortable in your home.
2. You need a short rest after working hard.
3. You want to relax after a stressful day at work.
4. Your friend is panicking, and you want them to calm down.
5. You want to spend Sunday doing nothing and watching films.

Related posts:

20 Ways to Say “I’m Tired”

Collocations about Feelings and Emotions

20 Phrasal Verbs Related to Driving

How to Write about Your Weekend in English

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