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re·lieve | \ ri-ˈlēv 
\
\relieved; relieving
Definition of relieve
1a : 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
2a : to bring about the removal or alleviation of : mitigate helps relieve stress
3a : 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
5a : to set off by contrast
b : to raise in relief
6 : to discharge the bladder or bowels of (oneself)
1 : to bring or give relief
2 : to stand out in relief
3 : to serve as a relief pitcher
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Other Words from relieve
relievable \ ri-ˈlē-və-bəl \ adjective
\ adjective
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web Medical News Today reports that use of certain essential oils show may also relieve congestion.
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Carmel Kookogey, USA TODAY, "Fact check: Citrus steam cannot kill viruses such as the coronavirus," 26 June 2020 Psychiatrists know a great deal about the mechanism of anxiety and how to relieve it in its classic forms, but their literature has scarcely begun to deal with the brooding mass anxiety and individual insulation against it.
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Avis D. Carlson, Harper's Magazine, "The Jitters," 23 June 2020 And, as police held off attempts to take down Jackson, various people would retreat from the crowd to relax under the church’s awning, smoke cigarettes, and relieve themselves.
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Nicholas Rowan, Washington Examiner, "'Pay!': Protesters demand reparations after claiming church near White House as 'Black House Autonomous Zone'," 23 June 2020 To relieve shoulder and hip pressure from side sleeping, the plush Saatva is the softest option and perfect for cradling these major joints.
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Mandie Kelleher, Better Homes & Gardens, "The Best Mattresses for Back Pain to Help You Sleep Easy," 19 June 2020 While the gang was reuniting in Miami, Snooki returned from a night out with a full bladder and decided to relieve herself in the swimming pool.
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Derek Lawrence, EW.com, "The party's leaving: Snooki's snookiest Jersey Shore moments," 18 June 2020 Military officials assumed that removing men from combat situations or treating them with injections of drugs such as sodium amytal would relieve their psychiatric distress.
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Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "How PTSD went from ‘shell-shock’ to a recognized medical diagnosis," 16 June 2020 Dexamethasone is a generic, low-cost corticosteroid that’s used to relieve inflammation.
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Korin Miller, Health.com, "What is Dexamethasone? New Study Says Steroid Can Reduce Risk of Death in Sickest COVID-19 Patients," 16 June 2020 The coroner’s investigator documented that over the course of a day, the ER gave him four small doses of lorazepam, a sedative that hospitals often use to relieve anxiety, and zyprexa, an antipsychotic medication.
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Thalia Beaty, ProPublica, "Somebody’s Gotta Help Me”," 16 June 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'relieve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for relieve
relieve
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of relieve
: to reduce or remove (something, such as pain or an unpleasant feeling)
: to make (a problem) less serious
: to take the place of (someone who has been working, fighting, etc.)
See the full definition for relieve in the English Language Learners Dictionary
relieve
verbre·lieve | \ ri-ˈlēv \
\relieved; relieving
Kids Definition of relieve
1 : to free partly or wholly from a burden, pain, or distress
The phone call relieved the worried parents.
2 : to bring about the removal or lessening of
No words could relieve her sorrow.
3 : to release from a post or duty
relieve a sentry
4 : to break the sameness of
The dark red house was relieved by white trim.
relieve
transitive verbre·lieve | \ ri-ˈlēv \
\relieved; relieving
Medical Definition of relieve
1 : to bring about the removal or alleviation of (pain or discomfort)
2 : to discharge the bladder or bowels of (oneself)
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relieve
transitive verbre·lieve
relieved; relieving
Legal Definition of relieve
: 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)
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Time Traveler for relieve
The first known use of relieve was in the 14th century
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