relented

past tense of relent
1
as in succumbed
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 & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 relented After the first inmate deaths were confirmed by the Santa Rosa County Medical Examiner’s Office, the department relented and began divulging new details. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 After some back-and-forth, Lee relented. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025 Eventually, after Bokhari joined in the criticism and more drama unfolded, the chief relented — partially. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 31 Oct. 2025 More legal challenges followed from the state, which at last relented in 2020, declining to retry Skakel. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025 After hours of talks, Zelensky relented, allowing the IAEA team to proceed. Simon Shuster, Time, 23 Oct. 2025 The Indians’ enthusiasm to improve hasn’t relented. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025 The woman initially protested the arrangement but relented to avoid causing a scene around other colleagues. Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025 With the sun still high in the sky at six o’clock, the heat had barely relented. Seth Harp, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relented
Verb
  • And Davie easily outlasted his former boss, George Entwistle, who succumbed to scandal in 54 days.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
  • In the ignominious manner of his death, many great artists have succumbed to drugs.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In Texas, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds to stem a measles outbreak weren't available until after the crisis had subsided and two children had died.
    Amy Maxmen, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Floods in Cebu City had subsided late on Tuesday but power was still out in many places and telecommunications services were intermittent, a Reuters journalist in Cebu said.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Kinloch conceded the election in a short speech to his supporters Tuesday night.
    Corey Williams, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Sinclair, Ripley conceded, has experienced the downside of YouTube TV’s growth, including blackouts of its affiliated regional sports networks.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Content licensing revenues decreased 27% to $59 million primarily due to the timing and availability of deliveries in the period.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The median sale price for detached homes remained flat at $650,000, while attached homes decreased by 3% to $388,220.
    Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • As of Friday, more than 200 questions had been submitted, with the deadline set for noon.
    Ryan Macasero, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Ryder was submitted in the lead category the previous two seasons.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In the end, the power of the Cheney name was greatly diminished in GOP politics.
    Don Gonyea, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Measles can have serious long-term effects, including hearing loss, diminished immunity from previous infections with other viruses and pneumonia.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Mason surrendered his iPhone and its password.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
  • New York surrendered multiple double-digit fourth-quarter leads this season — a cascading pattern that included a collapse in Denver and the latest loss to the Bears in Week 10.
    Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relented. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on relented

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!