1
as in complying
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in merciful
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in succumbing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreasing
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of relenting
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
23 Dec. 2025
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Ayatollah Khomeini initially banned the game, relenting shortly before his death, and today Iran has a few grandmasters playing the game their country brought to the world.
—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
But Iranian officials showed no sign of relenting, warning the country could strike electricity targets across the Persian Gulf and even hit plants that supply the region with drinking water.
—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
On March 18, temperatures in Phoenix reached 102 degrees, the city’s earliest 100-degree day on record — and the heat shows no signs of relenting.
—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Iran shows no signs of relenting.
—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Both initially refused to comply with a subpoena before relenting under threat of a House vote to hold them in contempt.
—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
The settlement, which must still be approved by a bankruptcy court, comes after the diocese had fought a state a grand jury investigation for years before relenting last year.
—
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Foster loved the book and had even tried to option it, but Demme didn’t see her as a fit, only relenting amid studio pressure.
—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Gaviota’s non-relenting expansion amid a severe economic crisis significantly contributed to the country’s current humanitarian emergency.
—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
But Tehran offered no sign of relenting on its enrichment program, and by Wednesday afternoon, had warned that tanker traffic would halt through the strait until Israel paused its attacks in Lebanon.
—
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Ayatollah Khomeini initially banned the game, relenting shortly before his death, and today Iran has a few grandmasters playing the game their country brought to the world.
—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
But Iranian officials showed no sign of relenting, warning the country could strike electricity targets across the Persian Gulf and even hit plants that supply the region with drinking water.
—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
On March 18, temperatures in Phoenix reached 102 degrees, the city’s earliest 100-degree day on record — and the heat shows no signs of relenting.
—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Iran shows no signs of relenting.
—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Both initially refused to comply with a subpoena before relenting under threat of a House vote to hold them in contempt.
—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
The settlement, which must still be approved by a bankruptcy court, comes after the diocese had fought a state a grand jury investigation for years before relenting last year.
—
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Foster loved the book and had even tried to option it, but Demme didn’t see her as a fit, only relenting amid studio pressure.
—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relenting
Adjective
-
Interest rates remain relatively high, and real yields have risen in recent years, giving investors an attractive alternative to non-yielding assets like silver.
-
The prospect of higher interest rates as a result of the war could boost government bonds among investors, at the expense of non-yielding precious metals, market strategists told CNBC recently.
Adjective
-
That painful night in Dallas now feels merciful, compared with what this Avs team just experienced.
-
As the sun began to peek over the hillside, offering a merciful burst of warmth, Alonso Abugattas called this year’s Trillium Trek to order.
Verb
-
Suddenly, Marjane succumbing to sorrow became achingly comprehensible.
-
The Spurs got off just three field goal attempts while succumbing to the Knicks’ defensive pressure.
Verb
-
Authors on the study found that COVID vaccines were roughly 55% effective in preventing hospitalizations associated with the illness and about 50% effective in decreasing trips to emergency rooms or urgent care facilities.
-
If one wanted to produce more offense by decreasing drag, mixing in some baseballs with lower seams wouldn’t hurt.
Adjective
-
The unions want their pliant board majority in place through 2032.
-
Fennel, cumin, coriander and black pepper perfume sistani, another round flatbread with barley mixed into the wheat flour for a nutty taste and pliant crumb.
Adjective
-
The World Cup’s new, forgiving format allows the top eight of the 12 third-place teams, like third-place South Korea (1-0-2), to move on to knockout play with as few as three points.
-
When Argentina lost the opening game to Saudi Arabia in a smaller, less forgiving format, the stakes could not have been higher.
Verb
-
Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.
-
Haiti, ranked 83rd and back in the World Cup after five decades, lost 1-0 to Scotland in a decent performance in its opener, but then was no rival for five-time champion Brazil, conceding three first-half goals before improving to hold its ground in the second half of a 3-0 loss.
Verb
-
The afternoon started tough until the wind kept subsiding, and players began taking aim at flags.
-
Weather service and public safety officials said the safest thing to do is to stay away from the beaches altogether until the southern swells start subsiding.
Cite this Entry
“Relenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relenting. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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