relieve

1 to make more bearable or less severe <an ice pack will relieve the swelling> Synonyms allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, help, sootheRelated Words abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper; cure, heal, remedy; amend, correct, emend, fix, mend, rectify, reform, repair; ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refineNear Antonyms harm, hurt, impair, injure; heighten, intensify, sharpenAntonyms 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, rid, unburdenRelated Words discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter; bail (out), deliver, redeem, rescue; disengage, disentangle, extricateNear 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, replace, substitute, supersede, supplantRelated Words preempt, usurp