release

1 a freeing from an obligation or responsibility because they had legally declared bankruptcy, they received release from their debt Synonyms delivery, discharge, quietus, quittance Related Words dispensation, exemption, immunity, waiver

2 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 disclaimer, quitclaim, waiverRelated Words dispensation, exemption, indemnity; abdication, relinquishment, renouncement; handover, renunciation, surrender

3 a published statement informing the public of a matter of general interest a press release announcing that the governor would not run for a second term Synonyms ad, advert [chiefly British], advertisement, bulletin, communiqué, notice, notification, posting, announcementRelated Words broadside, brochure, circular, flyer (also flier), fly sheet, gazette [British], handbill, handout; bill, billboard, placard, playbill, poster, show bill, sign; broadcast, cablecast, newscast, telecast; advertising, billing, blurb, come-on, commercial, message, pitch, plugola, spot, word; communication, dispatch, report; annunciation, declaration, edict, proclamation, promulgation, pronouncement, pronunciamento, rescript, signification; ballyhoo, boost, buildup, campaign, plug, promo, promotion, propaganda, publicity

4 reduction of or freedom from pain only sleep offered any release from the agony of the migraine Synonyms alleviation, comfort, ease, reliefRelated Words appeasement, assuagement, decrease, diminishment, mitigation, moderation, mollification; calming, salving, soothingNear Antonyms discomfort, unrest; agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment, torture; ache, pain, pang, prick, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

1 to set free (from a state of being held in check) the losing player released his anger with a great yell of frustration Synonyms loose, loosen, uncork, unleash, unlock, unloose, unloosen Related Words discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, manumit, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter, unmoor, unshackle; air, express, take out, vent Phrases let go Near Antonyms handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel; bind, confine, enchain, fetter; halter, hamper Antonyms bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, govern, hold, inhibit, regulate, rein (in), restrain, smother, tame

2 to find emotional release for tried to find other ways of releasing tension than by chewing her fingernails Synonyms loose, take out, unleash, ventRelated Words act out; air, express, state, ventilate, voiceNear Antonyms control, govern, handle, manage; bridle, check, constrain, contain, curb, hold back, pull in, quell, rein (in), restrain, smother, tame; allay, lull, quiet, soothe, still; choke, inhibit, muffle, pocket, repress, stifle, strangle, swallowAntonyms bottle (up), repress, suppress

3 to set free (as from slavery or confinement) release the prisoners immediately Synonyms discharge, disenthrall (also disenthral), emancipate, enfranchise, enlarge, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, free, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetterRelated Words bail (out), deliver, parole, ransom, redeem, rescue, save; adrift, disembarrass, disencumber, disengage, disentangle, extricate; unshackleNear Antonyms handcuff, manacle, shackle, trammel; commit, immure, imprison, incarcerate, intern, jail, lock (up); conquer, enslave, subdue, subjugateAntonyms bind, confine, enchain, fetter, restrain

4 to set free from entanglement or difficulty the new governor finally managed to release himself from his rash campaign promise Synonyms clear, disembarrass, disengage, disentangle, free, liberate, extricate, untangleRelated Words deliver, redeem, rescue, save; disburden, disencumber, unburden; unravel, unsnarl, untie, untwineNear Antonyms block, hamper, hinder, impede, obstruct; burden, encumber, load, weighAntonyms embroil, entangle

5 to throw or give off an air freshener that releases a pleasing scent into the room Synonyms cast, discharge, emanate, evolve, exhale, expel, expire [archaic], give out, irradiate, issue, radiate, emit, send (out), shoot, throw out, ventRelated Words eliminate, evacuate, excrete, exude, ooze, secrete; eject, erupt, gush, jet, outpour, pour, spew, spout, spray, spurt, squirtNear Antonyms absorb, inhale, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take up

6 to make known openly or publicly the panel of nutritionists released their findings on the safety and effectiveness of various diets Synonyms advertise, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon, broadcast, declare, enunciate, flash, give out, herald, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, announce, sound, trumpetRelated Words bark, call (off or out), cry; bill, billboard, bulletin, gazette [chiefly British]; knell, ring, toll; blurb, feature, pitch, plug, promote, puff; disseminate, spread; disclose, divulge, introduce, kithe [chiefly Scottish], manifest, report, reveal, show; advise, apprise, hand down, inform, notify; communicate, impart, intimateNear Antonyms conceal, hush (up), silence, suppress, withhold; recall, recant, retract, revoke

7 to let go from office, service, or employment they released the workers who couldn't handle the new technology Synonyms ax (or axe), bounce, can, cashier, discharge, fire, muster out, pink-slip, dismiss, remove, retire, sack, terminate, turn offRelated Words downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim; boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat; separateNear Antonyms keep; reemploy, rehire; contract, subcontract; recruitAntonyms employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on