unbend (B1)

verb

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈbɛnd/

Definition

To relax and become less formal or tense.

Examples

• It's important to unbend after a long week of work.

• She tried to unbend at the party, but felt too self-conscious.

• He was a very serious man who rarely unbent.

How to Use unbend

unbend and relax (collocation)

To become relaxed and less formal. — "After a long day, he just wanted to unbend and relax on the couch."

unbend after (prepositional phrase)

To become less tense following a specific period or event. — "It took her a while to unbend after the difficult meeting."

Synonyms of unbend

Words with a similar meaning to unbend:

• relax
• loosen up
• unwind
• decompress

Antonyms of unbend

Words with the opposite meaning to unbend:

• tense up
• stiffen

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