verb

détendre

relax · to relax

Rendre quelqu’un ou quelque chose plus calme et moins tendu.

Definition & meaning

Détendre is a French verb meaning to relax, loosen, release tension, or ease.

It is used in several related ways:

To relax someone or relieve tension
- Cette musique détend les enfants. — “This music relaxes the children.”
- Un massage détend les muscles. — “A massage relaxes the muscles.”
To make an atmosphere less tense
- Il a raconté une plaisanterie pour détendre l’atmosphère. — “He told a joke to lighten the atmosphere.”
To loosen or slacken something physically
- Détendre une corde — “to loosen a rope”
- Détendre un arc — “to slacken or unstring a bow”
Se détendre means to relax, unwind, or take it easy
- Je me détends après le travail. — “I relax after work.”

Grammar & Word origin

Détendre is a regular -re verb in the third group. It is generally used with avoir in the compound past:

j’ai détendu — “I relaxed / loosened”
elle a détendu l’atmosphère — “she eased the atmosphere”

The reflexive form is se détendre :

je me détends — “I relax”
nous nous détendons — “we relax”

Its past participle is détendu , feminine détendue [?](vocabuo://word/d%C3%A9tendue].

The word is formed from the prefix dé- and tendre , “to stretch” or “to make tense.” Historically, it comes from Latin detendere, meaning “to release tension” or “to slacken.”

Related noun: la détente , meaning “relaxation,” “release,” or “a reduction of tension.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

relaxer — “to relax”; a common modern synonym, especially for people.
calmer — “to calm”; focuses more on reducing agitation or anxiety.
apaiser — “to soothe” or “pacify”; often concerns emotional or interpersonal tension.
décontracter — “to loosen” or “relax”; often used for muscles or a person’s body.
relâcher — “to release” or “slacken”; more commonly describes physical tension, pressure, or restraint.

Détendre is broader than these synonyms: it can describe relaxing a person, easing an atmosphere, or loosening a physical object.

Antonyms

tendre — “to stretch” or “tighten”; the direct opposite in the physical sense.
contracter — “to contract” or “tighten,” especially muscles.
resserrer — “to tighten” or “make more tense.”
stresser — “to stress”; the opposite of relaxing a person emotionally.
tendre l’atmosphère — “to make the atmosphere tense”; the opposite of détendre l’atmosphère.