ril-AKST
/ɹɪˈlækst/
relaxed is pronounced ril-AKST (/ɹɪˈlækst/). Relaxed describes a state of ease and absence of tension, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. It implies freedom from stress or constraint and a tranquil, comfortable condition. In usage, it often contrasts with tense or anxious states and can modify nouns to indicate a casual, laid-back quality or approach.
Relaxed describes a state of ease and absence of tension, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. It implies freedom from stress or constraint and a tranquil, comfortable condition. In usage, it often contrasts with tense or anxious states and can modify nouns to indicate a casual, laid-back quality or approach.
- You may soften the /t/ to a flap or drop it in very casual speech; practice with a crisp /t/ to anchor the word. - Vowel confusion with /ɛ/ or reduced schwa in the first syllable; rehearse the /ɪ/ or /ə/ as a light, quick lead into /ˈlækst/. - Stress misplacement can produce RE-laxed rather than re-LAXED; ensure strong secondary syllable emphasis and natural tempo. - Final consonant release may be silent; train to end with a clear stop: /t/.
"She spoke in a relaxed voice, even during the difficult briefing."
"After a long day, he felt wonderfully relaxed and ready to unwind."
"The relaxed dress code encouraged a more creative, informal atmosphere."
Say re-LAXED with the stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is a quick /rɪ/ or /rə/ depending on pace, and the main vowel in the second syllable is the /æ/ or /æks/ quality. IPA: US /rɪˈlækst/, UK /rɪˈlækst/, AU /rɪˈlækst/. Tip: keep the jaw slightly relaxed, tongue low, and end with a crisp /t/ or lightly released /t/ to finish clearly.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., re-LAXED but sometimes heard as REL-axed), vowel reduction in the first syllable (/ɪ/ vs /ə/), and softening the final /t/ into a /d/ or /ɪd/ ending in fast speech. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with a clear /æ/ vowel and finish with a crisp /t/. Practise the sequence r-ɪl-ækst slowly, then speed up while keeping the second syllable strong and the final /t/ audible.
In US English, stress is typically on the second syllable and the /æ/ sound in ‘axed’ is bright; the /t/ is often unreleased in casual speech. UK English similarly stresses the second syllable but may have a slightly closer front vowel. Australian English tends to have even more centralized starting vowel and a less tense /ɜː/ in nearby words, with a clear /t/ at the end in careful speech. IPA notes: US /rɪˈlækst/, UK /rɪˈlækst/, AU /rɪˈlækst/.
The difficulty lies in the quick, two-syllable structure with a strong secondary vowel in the first syllable and a final /t/ that is sometimes unreleased in fast speech. The /æ/ in the stressed second syllable can be confused with /æm/ or /ɛ/ in rapid speech, and the /l/ can influence the following vowel. Focus on maintaining the /l/ onset, a crisp /æ/ vowel, and a precise final /t/ without letting it drift into a /d/ sound.
The second syllable carries the main nucleus, so you should articulate /ˈlækst/ with an open front lax vowel /æ/ and a clear /k/ before the /st/ cluster. In careful speech, release the /t/; in connected speech it may be slightly lenited. Ensure the /l/ is not swallowed by the preceding vowel and keep the tongue forward for the /æ/ sound. IPA reference: /rɪˈlækst/ (US/UK/AU).
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- US: active rhoticity with clear /ɹ/; bright /æ/; sometimes flapped /ɾ/ in rapid speech before a vowel; final /t/ may be unreleased. - UK: non-rhotic; /r/ only before vowels; /æ/ remains clear; final /t/ often released in careful speech. - AU: similar to US; conversational speech features slight vowel centralization and non-flapped /t/ in many phrases; keep the final /t/ audible in careful speech. IPA: US /rɪˈlækst/ or /rɪˈlækst/, UK /rɪˈlækst/, AU /rɪˈlækst/; stress on second syllable.
Relaxed comes from relax, which originates from the Latin relaxare (to loosen). The root rel- means ‘to loosen again’, and the suffix -ax are related to the Latin lexus meaning ‘to let loose’. In English, relax appeared in the 15th century with senses related to loosening or releasing tension. By the 16th–17th centuries, it extended metaphorically to ease of mind and, later, to relaxation as a state of leisure. The modern sense of ease and freedom from stiffness or constraint solidified in the 19th and 20th centuries as psychology and wellness discourse popularized “relaxed” as both adjectival and predicative. The adjective form relaxed (past participle) is used to describe someone or something that has been loosened or calmed, often contrasting with “tense.” First known uses include medical and physical contexts (relaxed muscles) progressing to social and emotional connotations (a relaxed attitude).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "relaxed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "relaxed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "relaxed"
-xed sounds
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