chill out

/tʃɪl aʊt/

Meaning

To relax, calm down, or spend time doing nothing stressful. While it is a friendly suggestion to relax, telling an angry or stressed person to 'chill out' can sometimes sound dismissive.

Examples

  • We spent the whole weekend just chilling out by the pool.

    We spent the whole weekend just chilling out by the pool.

  • You need to chill out; it was just an accident.

    You need to chill out; it was just an accident.

  • I usually listen to classical music when I want to chill out.

    I usually listen to classical music when I want to chill out.

  • Let's just chill out at my place and watch a movie tonight.

    Let's just chill out at my place and watch a movie tonight.

  • Chill out, everything is going to be fine!

    Chill out, everything is going to be fine!

Common Mistakes

  • ✗ I want to chill out myself this weekend.

    ✓ I want to chill out this weekend.

    'Chill out' is an intransitive phrasal verb. It does not take a reflexive pronoun like 'myself' or 'yourself'.

  • ✗ He was very angry, so I told him to chill down.

    ✓ He was very angry, so I told him to chill out.

    The correct phrasal verb is 'chill out' (or 'calm down'). Mixing them into 'chill down' is incorrect.

Related Expressions

cool off wind down relax

Practice

  • Hey, stop worrying so much and just ___!

    💡 Calm down or stop being stressed.

    Show answer

    chill out

  • On Friday nights, I like to ___ at home with a good book.

    💡 Spend relaxing, quiet time.

    Show answer

    chill out