relax

/ɹɪˈlæks/

//ɹɪˈlæks// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"relax" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“relax” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,403. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,403
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make something loose.

Corpus desk

Index EN-relax · relax · English

relax · rank #4,403 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,403
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH regarded

Nearest frequency peer: regarded (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “relax”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “relax” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

relax vs rex
60% similar
relax vs rely
60% similar
relax vs Reza
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for relax
PropertyValue
Headwordrelax
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈlæks/
Letters5
Frequency rank#4,403
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “relax” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). relax lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around relax (IPA /ɹɪˈlæks/), averb. Corpus frequency is #4,403 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for relax, with forms such as "erlax", "realx", and "relaxx". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "rex", "rely", "Reza", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English relaxen, from Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”). By surface analysis, re- + lax (“open, free, loose”). The correct English form is relax, spelled R-E-L-A-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something loose.
  2. 2
    To make something loose.
  3. 3
    To become loose.
  4. 4
    To relieve (someone or someone's mind) of stress; to enable to rest; to calm down.
  5. 5
    To rest and become relieved of stress.
  6. 6
    To make something less severe or tense.
  7. 7
    To become less severe or tense.
  8. 8
    To make something (such as codes and regulations) more lenient.
  9. 9
    To become more lenient.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how relax appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. to relax a rope or cord
  2. to relax the muscles or sinews

Etymology

From Middle English relaxen, from Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”). By surface analysis, re- + lax (“open, free, loose”).

Antonyms

stressexcite

This word in other languages

relajar(Español)relâcher(Français)lockern(Deutsch)soltar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erlax
  • realx
  • relaxx
  • rellax
  • relxa
  • rleax
  • rrelax

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of relax - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

erlax2realx2relaxx1rellax1relxa2rleax2rrelax1
Edit distance from "relax"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "relax"?
"relax" is spelled R-E-L-A-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈlæks/.
What does "relax" mean?
As a verb, "relax" means: To make something loose.
What words are commonly confused with "relax"?
"relax" is commonly confused with "rex", "rely", "Reza". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "relax"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "relax" is /ɹɪˈlæks/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "relax"?
From Middle English relaxen, from Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”). By surface analysis, re- + lax (“open, free, loose”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "relax", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

acted#4,425alarm#4,426fifty#4,376Delhi#4,365

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

dated7 variantscited7 variantsglobe7 variantshoped7 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "relax". Here's where to go from here.

  • "relax" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "rex". View pair
  • 7 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #4,403 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "R" letter cohort. R–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list