decompress

verb

ˌdē-kəm-ˈpres How to pronounce decompress (audio)
Definition of decompressnext
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

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 Afterward, everyone but National League All-Star Crow-Armstrong headed off for parts unknown for a brief respite and a chance to decompress before the second half. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2026 As for the onboard experience, accommodations include first-class private rooms and a dining car to eat and decompress. — Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026 Sometimes the best way to decompress after a long day is to plop onto the couch, turn on your favorite TV show, and let the bright screen gently lull you into a beautiful, drooly sleep. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 July 2026 Desirable aromatherapy scents include lavender that can help decompress, marjoram that targets the nervous system and neroli for reducing stress. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for decompress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompress
relax
Verb
  • At the same time, the city is poised to relax heights cap at the beach, potentially allowing towers as high as 340 feet where the Hollywood Beach Resort now sits.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Finally, there’s magnesium, a mineral known for calming the nervous system and relaxing muscles.
    — Mura Dominko, Martha Stewart, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of relax

Browse Nearby Words

decomposition
decompress
decompressed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decompress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompress. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All