relieve

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verb

Definition of RELIEVE

1

to make more bearable or less severe <an ice pack will relieve the swelling>

Synonyms allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe

Related Words abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper; cure, heal, remedy; amend, correct, emend, fix, mend, rectify, reform, repair; ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine

Near Antonyms harm, hurt, impair, injure; heighten, intensify, sharpen

Antonyms aggravate, exacerbate

2

to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers <the bellhop relieved him of his luggage and led him to the elevator>

Synonyms clear, disburden, disencumber, divest, free, relieve, unburden

Related Words discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter; bail (out), deliver, redeem, rescue; disengage, disentangle, extricate

Near Antonyms bog (down), fetter, hamper, restrain, shackle, subject, weigh down, weight (down)

Antonyms burden, encumber, saddle

3

to take the place of <at daybreak a soldier arrived to relieve the one who had spent the night on guard duty>

Synonyms cut out, displace, displant, relieve, substitute, supersede, supplant

Related Words preempt, usurp