In this paper, we consider a viscoleastic equation with a nonlinear feedback localized on a part of the boundary and a relaxation function satisfying g′(t) ≤−ξ(t)G(g(t)). We establish an explicit and general decay rate results, using the multiplier method and some properties of the convex functions. Our results are obtained without imposing any restrictive growth assumption on the damping term. This work generalizes and improves earlier results in the literature, in particular those of Messaoudi (Topological Methods in Nonlinear Analysis 51(2):413–427, 2018), Messaoudi and Mustafa (Nonlinear Analysis: Theory Methods & Applications 72(9–10):3602–3611, 2010), Mustafa (Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences 41(1): 192–204, 2018) and Wu (Zeitschrift fur angewandte Mathematik und Physik 63(1):65–106, 2012).