RELENTS Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

relents

verb

present tense third-person singular of relent

as in succumbs

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

as in subsides

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 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 relents Instead of using moving rooms and telescopic furniture to squeeze in a full-length longitudinal bed, however, Bürstner relents to the transverse layout far more common in camper vans of this size. — New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2026 Speaker Mike Johnson is working to accommodate Republican lawmakers who are angry that the Senate won’t pass the SAVE America Act and are insisting that it be included in must-pass bills until the Senate relents. — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 This grade slips to a C+ if Arizona eventually relents and grants Pro-Bowl pass rusher Josh Sweat’s trade request. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 Donal eventually relents, however, after his venue burns down in a convenient plot device. — Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025 When utilities and grid operators push back, FERC generally relents. — Brian Deese, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025 In the early evening in Seville, when the heat relents, Sevillanos take a paseo, or leisurely stroll. — Tia Welch Maerz, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Sep. 2025 One partner relents to the other’s wishes, without presenting their own needs and wants. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relents

Verb

Vhagar dies in the crash and Caraxes succumbs to his injuries a few days after crawling out and into the bowls of Harrenhal.

— James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
When Mina’s closest friend Lucy succumbs to his thrall, the enigmatic Professor Van Helsing is summoned to wage war on this unfathomable threat.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 July 2026

Definition of succumbs

Verb

The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.

— Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
That said, living in the South means there’s still a ways to go before the heat subsides, and until then, breathable summer staples will continue to define my outfits.

— Kate Boswell, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of subsides

Verb

The lesson here – and one the NBCU-Peacock-YouTube deal concedes – is that a media company just isn’t the mountain that Mohammed goes to – the consumers are the mountain.

— Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Once the darling of the NBA, the next heartthrob to splash on posters and commercials, the acrobatic point guard concedes he is viewed negatively.

— Jason Quick, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of concedes

Verb

If the vehicle slows significantly below the required speed, the normal force between its tires and the tunnel surface decreases, increasing the risk of losing contact.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that AI adoption in manufacturing initially decreases productivity before ultimately helping workers achieve long-term gains.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of decreases

Verb

Firewise is a national program where each community of eight to 200 homes works together to create defensible space and clear brush, agrees to continue the work annually and submits an application to Firewise USA.

— Chuck Page, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
The agency’s bid analysis reflects a process in which each Part D sponsor that wants to offer a standalone plan submits a bid to CMS every year, outlining the insurer’s benefits, costs and list of reimbursable medicines.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of submits

Verb

The filter significantly diminishes elements commonly found in water that can be damaging, like chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, heavy metals, and more.

— Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026
My belief in the freshmen’s collective greatness diminishes throughout the program.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminishes

Verb

The suspect driver surrenders on the 60 Freeway after leading police on a speeding pursuit for over an hour.

— Julie Sharp, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Summer is usually the busiest season for shelters, officials said, as more stray animals, owner surrenders and vulnerable kittens arrive.

— Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026