relieve

verb

re·​lieve ri-ˈlēv 

relieved; relieving

transitive verb

1

a

: to free from a burden : give aid or help to

b

: to set free from an obligation, condition, or restriction

c

: to ease of a burden, wrong, or oppression by judicial or legislative interposition

2

a

: to bring about the removal or alleviation of : mitigate

helps relieve stress

b

: rob, deprive

relieved us of our belongings

3

a

: to release from a post, station, or duty

b

: to take the place of

will relieve the starting pitcher

4

: to remove or lessen the monotony of

a park relieves the urban landscape

5

a

: to set off by contrast

b

: to raise in relief

6

: to discharge the bladder or bowels of (oneself)

intransitive verb

1

: to bring or give relief

2

: to stand out in relief

3

: to serve as a relief pitcher

relievable

ri-ˈlē-və-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• allay
• alleviate
• assuage
• ease
• help
• mitigate
• mollify
• palliate
• soothe

Choose the Right Synonym for relieve

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous.

relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

Examples of relieve in a Sentence

I took a pill to relieve my headache.

I wish I could relieve your suffering.

What's the best way to relieve stress?

She tried to relieve the tension by making a joke.

an effort to relieve traffic congestion

We need to find ways to relieve overcrowding in our schools.

I've come to relieve the guard on duty.

The soldiers were relieved by 30,000 fresh troops.

Recent Examples on the Web

After watching the band (sans Victoria Beckham) perform in 2019, Bunton revealed that her sons were relieved that the ladies didn't perform at a nearly empty stadium. —Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024

The result is a blissful body butter that melts on contact to relieve dry skin from its scaly fate. —Nikhita Mahtani, Allure, 22 Apr. 2024

Wearing a pair of compression socks will not only wade off any temptation to clip or file your nails mid-flight, but the socks will also relieve tension by stimulating circulation in your legs and feet to reduce swelling in the air. —Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024

The impression of severity is relieved by blue eyes the color of his jeans and a smile crease from the habit of grinning around a Marlboro. —Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 25 Apr. 2024

Hewlett relieved Gabe Gaeckle, who escaped a seventh-inning jam by retiring eight consecutive batters before giving up a two-out double to pinch hitter Blake Jackson, the Gamecocks' only extra-base hit, in the ninth. —Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 20 Apr. 2024

Sunnyvale public safety officers are relieved to have new and much-needed paramedics for the city, but desire a long-term solution to address a local and county-wide shortage. —Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024

The new law unleashed a blizzard of new hemp products marketed as sleep aids, to relieve anxiety and for dozens of other applications. —Ashley Okwuosa, The Examination; Amy Yurkanin, Al.com; John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024

But even then, the numbers were lacking compared to previous emergences, relieving entomophobes and disappointing entomologists. —Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English releven, from Anglo-French relever to raise, relieve, from Latin relevare, from re- + levare to raise — more at lever

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing relieve

• relieve of
• relieve oneself

Kids Definition

relieve

verb

re·​lieve ri-ˈlēv 

relieved; relieving

1

: to free partly or wholly from a burden or from distress

relieve parents of worry

2

: to bring about the removal or reduction of

efforts to relieve world hunger

3

: to release from a post or duty

relieve a sentry

4

: to break the sameness of

a black dress relieved by a white collar

5

: to put or stand out in relief : set off by contrast (as in sculpture or painting)

6

: to discharge the bladder or bowels of (oneself)

reliever noun

Medical Definition

relieve

transitive verb

re·​lieve ri-ˈlēv 

relieved; relieving

1

: to bring about the removal or alleviation of (pain or discomfort)

2

: to discharge the bladder or bowels of (oneself)

reliever noun

Legal Definition

relieve

transitive verb

re·​lieve

relieved; relieving

: to set free from a duty, burden, or liability

cannot be relieved of his negligence

the trust cannot relieve the trustees of those very basic duties that the law imposes

—Hosey v. Burgess, 890 S.W.2d 262 (1995)