French Conversation · Level 80
60 words
French word
assouplir
Pronunciation
IPA/asupliʁ/
Meaning
- verbrelax
Example
Le gouvernement va assouplir les restrictions.
The government will relax the restrictions.
More examples
La direction a décidé d'assouplir les horaires de travail.
Management decided to make work schedules more flexible.
Core concept
A rigid material, rule, or behavior becomes easier to bend, adapt, or accommodate.
Common phrases
assouplir les restrictions
ease the restrictions
assouplir les règles
relax the rules
assouplir les horaires
make work schedules more flexible
Similar words
alléger: Reduce a burden, tax, or restriction to make it less onerous.
adoucir: Soften the force of a policy or expression.
relâcher: Ease tension or pressure and weaken control.
Definition in French
Rendre plus souple ou moins contraignant quelque chose d'abstrait ou de concret (règle, horaire, tissu, comportement).
Word origin
Assouplir is formed from French souple, meaning flexible, with the prefix a- and the verb-forming ending -ir.
Usage tips
- Assouplir is transitive, while s'assouplir means that something becomes more flexible or less strict by itself.
Other meanings
- softenverb
- make flexibleverb
Opposites
- durcirhardenverb
- raidirstiffenverb
Related words
- assouplissementeasingnoun
- assouplissantfabric softenernoun
- assouplirelaxedadjective