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   Re·lieve

   /rəˈlēv/

   

   verb

   • 1. cause (pain, distress, or difficulty) to become less severe or serious: "the drug was used to promote sleep and to relieve pain" Similar alleviatemitigateassuageallaysoothesoftenpalliateappeaseeasedullreducelessendiminishOpposite aggravate
   • ▪ cause (someone) to stop feeling distressed or anxious about something: "he was relieved by her change of tone"
   • 2. release (someone) from duty by taking their place: "another signalman relieved him at 5:30" Similar replacetake over fromtake the place ofstand in foract as stand-in forfill in forsubstitute foract as a substitute fordeputize forbe a proxy forcover forprovide cover foract as locum forhold the fort fordo something in someone's place/stead
   • ▪ bring military support for (a besieged place): "he dispatched an expedition to relieve the city"
   • ▪ (of a relief pitcher) take the place of (another pitcher) during a game.
   • 3. take (a burden) from someone: "he relieved her of her baggage" Similar free of/fromset free fromrelease fromliberate fromexempt fromexcuse fromabsolve fromlet offextricate fromdischarge fromunburden ofdisburden ofdisencumber ofdeliver fromrescue fromsave fromrare:disembarrass ofOpposite put an extra burden on
   • ▪ free someone from (a tiresome responsibility): "she relieved me of the household chores" Similar replacetake over fromtake the place ofstand in foract as stand-in forfill in forsubstitute foract as a substitute fordeputize forbe a proxy forcover forprovide cover foract as locum forhold the fort fordo something in someone's place/stead
   • ▪ used euphemistically to indicate that someone has been deprived of something: "he was relieved of his world title"
   • 4. make less tedious or monotonous by the introduction of variety or of something striking or pleasing: "the bird's body is black, relieved only by white under the tail" Similar counteractreducealleviatemitigatebrightenlightensweetenbring respite tomake something bearableinterruptpunctuatevarybreak upstopbring an end tocuredispelpreventOpposite exacerbateemphasize
   • 5. urinate or defecate (used euphemistically): "train your dog to relieve itself where you want it to"
   • 6. make (something) stand out: archaic "the twilight relieving in purple masses the foliage of the island"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French relever, from Latin relevare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + levare ‘raise’ (from levis ‘light’).

   Derivatives

   • 1. relievable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • R

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › relieveRelieve Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › relieve

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   Learn the meaning, usage, and history of the verb relieve, which means to free from a burden, obligation, or distress. Find synonyms, antonyms, example sentences, and related phrases for relieve.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relieveRELIEVE Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam ...

   www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › relieve

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   Find 89 synonyms and antonyms for relieve, a verb meaning to make something less severe, free, or replace. Learn how to use relieve and its similar words in different contexts and sentences.

   • Some common synonyms of relieve are allay, alleviate, assuage, lighten, and mitigate. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous,"...
   • The words allay and relieve can be used in similar contexts, but allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms. // allayed thei...
   • Although the words alleviate and relieve have much in common, alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. // the lotion a...
   • The synonyms assuage and relieve are sometimes interchangeable, but assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable. // ocean...
   • The words lighten and relieve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight. // g...
   • While in some cases nearly identical to relieve, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful. // the...

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishRELIEVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of relieve as a verb in English, with different senses and usage. Find out how to use relieve in sentences, phrasal verbs, and expressions.

5. www.thesaurus.com › browse › relieve133 Synonyms & Antonyms for RELIEVE | Thesaurus.com

   www.thesaurus.com › browse › relieve

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   Find 133 different ways to say RELIEVE, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

6. www.dictionary.com › browse › relieveRELIEVE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › relieve

   • Cached

   Relieve definition: to ease or alleviate (pain, distress, anxiety, need, etc.).. See examples of RELIEVE used in a sentence.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › relieveRELIEVE | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › relieve

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of relieve as a verb in English, with different senses and usage examples. Find out how to pronounce relieve, how to use it in phrasal verbs, and how to translate it in other languages.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › relieveRelieve - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › relieve

   To relieve is to ease a burden or take over for someone. An aspirin can relieve a headache, and a substitute can relieve the teacher who fell asleep on her desk after lunch.