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Definition of "relaxation" []

  • The act of relaxing or the state of being relaxed. (noun)
  • Refreshment of body or mind; recreation: played golf for relaxation. (noun)
  • A loosening or slackening. (noun)
  • A reduction in strictness or severity. (noun)
  • Physiology The lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "relaxation" in a sentence
  • "Fascinated by the striking physiologic changes he noted—a decrease in heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolic rate—he coined the term relaxation response to describe the phenomenon.9 Today, studies continue to replicate these early findings.10"
  • "In 1996, RSF published a report entitled Libya: "We can criticize Allah but not Gaddafi" in which it referred to a "relaxation" of restrictions on the media, but noted that journalists critical of the regime spoke to its representatives in hushed tones for fear of reprisals."
  • "Dr. Benson began to study the physiological effects of meditation, which he called the relaxation response."