relaxer

noun

re·​lax·​er ri-ˈlak-sər How to pronounce relaxer (audio)
plural relaxers
: something or someone that relaxes or produces relaxation
What makes the neck relaxer so good is how it stretches your spine and neck.Thomas Price
Another reliable relaxer is autogenic training, a kind of self-programming that creates the relaxation response through suggestion.Lonny J. Brown
[Relief pitcher Tommy] Hunter will take a few days off from throwing before resuming work. The spasms typically go away with rest and muscle relaxersSt. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press
especially : a usually chemical treatment used to straighten curly and especially kinky (see kinky sense 1) hair
I have naturally curly hair, but I prefer to wear it straight—I always have. Getting a relaxer was pretty much my only solution to making styling my hair a shorter and easier process. But, naturally, they're not for everyone. Andrea Navarro
If you have natural hair, then you may have considered getting a hair relaxer at some point. After all, taking care of your curls can be time-consuming, which can make having sleek, super-straight hair straight out of bed sound pretty appealing. And with the relaxers growing in popularity once again … you may be particularly curious about them right now. lorealparisusa.com
Hair relaxers have been around for over a century and are used to chemically straighten hair by getting into the cuticle and cortex layers. During this process, the curly, wavy, or kinky hair patterns are straightened out, resulting in that quintessential straight, sleek look. Del Sandeen

Examples of relaxer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But once the hair’s internal structure is permanently altered or broken (often the case with bleaching, chemical treatments like perms and relaxers, and years of excessive heat styling)? Jenna Ryu, SELF, 19 Mar. 2025 Hair styles and treatments: Harsh hair treatments, like perms and relaxers, and tight hairstyles that pull your locks can lead to hair thinning or a receding hairline. Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2025 In today’s episode, Wesley sits down with Linda to discuss the health risks of relaxers, the hair icons that messed them both up and the culture surrounding hair relaxing that keeps people using these products. Linda Villarosa Paula Szuchman, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025 There are no permanent or semi-permanent colors, perms or relaxers used to alter the color, texture or curl pattern of the hair. Dahvi Shira, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for relaxer

Word History

Etymology

relax + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of relaxer was in 1954

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Cite this Entry

“Relaxer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relaxer. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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