Thesaurus

relent

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of relent

1 to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)

the supervisor finally relented in the face of the petition, and allowed employees to take longer lunch breaks

Synonyms of relent

blink, bow, budge, capitulate, concede, give in, knuckle under, quit, submit, succumb, surrender, yield

Words Related to relent

Phrases Synonymous with relent

say uncle, throw in the towel (also throw in the sponge)

Near Antonyms of relent

contend, fight, hold off

battle, breast, combat, confront, counter, defy, face, meet, object, oppose, repel

thwart, withstand

Antonyms of relent

2 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

the fury of the storm relented, and the next day the sun finally broke through the clouds

Synonyms of relent

abate, de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down) , recede, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane

Words Related to relent

compress, condense, constrict, contract

evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish

slacken, slow (down)

alleviate, relax

flag, sink, weaken

cave (in), collapse, deflate

Near Antonyms of relent

appear, emerge, show up

blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

Antonyms of relent

accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax

Synonym Discussion of relent

yield, submit, capitulate, succumb, relent, defer mean to give way to someone or something that one can no longer resist. yield may apply to any sort or degree of giving way before force, argument, persuasion, or entreaty.

- yields too easily in any argument

submit suggests full surrendering after resistance or conflict to the will or control of another.

- a repentant sinner vowing to submit to the will of God

capitulate stresses the fact of ending all resistance and may imply either a coming to terms (as with an adversary) or hopelessness in the face of an irresistible opposing force.

- officials capitulated to the protesters' demands

succumb implies weakness and helplessness to the one that gives way or an overwhelming power to the opposing force.

- a stage actor succumbing to the lure of Hollywood

relent implies a yielding through pity or mercy by one who holds the upper hand.

- finally relented and let the children stay up late

defer implies a voluntary yielding or submitting out of respect or reverence for or deference and affection toward another.

- I defer to your expertise in these matters

Learn More about relent

See words that rhyme with relent Dictionary: Definition of relent Spanish Central: Translation of relent Nglish: Translation of relent for Spanish speakers

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appealing forcibly to the mind or reason