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release

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noun

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as in discharge
a freeing from an obligation or responsibility because they had legally declared bankruptcy, they received release from their debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in waiver
a document containing a declaration of an intentional giving up of a right, claim, or privilege we had to sign a liability release before they'd let us go rock climbing on their property

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb release differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of release are emancipate, free, liberate, and manumit. While all these words mean "to set loose from restraint or constraint," release suggests a setting loose from confinement, restraint, or a state of pressure or tension, often without implication of permanent liberation.

released his anger on a punching bag

In what contexts can emancipate take the place of release?

The meanings of emancipate and release largely overlap; however, emancipate implies the liberation of a person from subjection or domination.

labor-saving devices emancipated us from household drudgery

When would free be a good substitute for release?

The words free and release can be used in similar contexts, but free implies a usually permanent removal from whatever binds, confines, entangles, or oppresses.

freed the animals from their cages

When might liberate be a better fit than release?

While in some cases nearly identical to release, liberate stresses particularly the resulting state of liberty.

liberated their country from the tyrant

When is manumit a more appropriate choice than release?

Although the words manumit and release have much in common, manumit implies emancipation from slavery.

the document manumitted the slaves

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of release
Verb
His work in music and art spaces continued into recent years, including two long pieces released in 2017, AI Deviation #1 and #2, that applied his methods to artificial intelligence. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 June 2025 Generic drugs, which are designed to provide the same therapeutic effects as brand-name ones and are released after their patents expire, account for 90% of all prescriptions in the US. John Liu, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Noun
In the latest release, every comment touched on tariffs. Jim Sergent, USA Today, 4 June 2025 Once finished, the venue will be Broadway's largest floor footprint, per the release. Daniela Avila, People.com, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for release
Recent Examples of Synonyms for release
Verb
  • Eventually Trump let slip that he was disappointed in his former adviser, prompting Musk to unleash a flood of insults and taunts.
    Chris Megerian, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • The remarks refer to a sweeping campaign unleashed by Xi with an aim to purge religious faiths of foreign influence and align them more closely with traditional Chinese culture – and the authoritarian rule of the officially atheist Communist Party.
    Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • With its easy setup and free unlimited storage, family members can instantly share photos from anywhere.
    Jené Luciani Sena may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 June 2025
  • Dewayne eventually freed the machete from Mischa’s head and tried to dismember her corpse with it.
    Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • How did One Piece season 1 end? Season 1 of Netflix's One Piece adaptation ended with Luffy and the Straw Hat gang liberating Nami's hometown of Coco Village from Arlong (McKinley Belcher III), the spiky-nosed fish-man with hopes of turning the village into a fish-men empire.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 30 May 2025
  • In World War II, people liberated from Axis occupation welcomed Allied troops.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Due to advances in casting technology, changes in social conditions and evolutions in regional taste, new fashions in ritual bronze casting arose.
    Jane Levere, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Kirkpatrick, whose credits include Prime Video’s Daisy Jones & The Six, resists casting any of her four leads in roles as easy as victim or villain.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Verb
  • The new parents announced their son’s arrival a few days after his birth, sharing a joint Instagram post with a photo of the newborn sleeping next to a wooden sign.
    Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • His final match as a professional footballer — Morton announced his sacking on September 19 — ended in a 1-0 defeat.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Paulo Fonseca was sacked in December, while the end of the season saw the club decide to end Sergio Conceicao’s tenure after an eighth-place finish.
    Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Former Porto head coach Conceicao was sacked after just five months in charge on Thursday following a disappointing eighth place finish in Serie A that saw the club miss out on European qualification for 2025-26.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Decker stopped attending mandatory monthly drills slightly more than a year ago, and the Guard was in the process of a disciplinary discharge for him, Shagren said.
    Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
  • Also, jobless claims (a proxy for layoffs) and the rate of layoffs and discharges remain below pre-pandemic levels, Labor Department data shows.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Nebraska, Iowa and Indiana have recently had waivers approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which funds the program, to eliminate certain purchases being made with SNAP benefits in a push to promote healthy eating.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • Rubio’s cable said criteria for the exemptions under a national security waiver would be issued soon.
    Matthew Lee, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Release.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/release. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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