DECOMPRESS Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

decompress

verb

ˌdē-kəm-ˈpres

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

tense (up)

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 The primary bedroom feels like a high-end hotel suite, with a custom walk-in closet and a spa-style bath designed for decompressing after a long day. —

Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 But when the season ended and Flaherty finally had a chance to decompress, some of the frustration turned to grace. —

Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026 Sensory sensitive kids might need comfortable spaces to decompress or personal hygiene products that are entirely unscented. —

Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 3 Feb. 2026 Engineers train them to compress and decompress data so that the output matches the input as closely as possible. —

IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decompress

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompress

relax

Verb

The agency waived age limits for new recruits, relaxed its vetting process, and decreased the training period for incoming officers.

— Oriana van Praag, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
Also, a mule has the rare quality of looking very polished and relaxed at the same time.

— Alex Sales, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026