1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of relents
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
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
-
With three days to go before Krypto succumbs to the slow-acting agent, Supergirl sets out on a cosmic adventure to retrieve the antidote, confronting her emotional trauma along the way.
-
If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.
Verb
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After the laughter ringing through the room subsides, though, Abela does allow for a moment of reverence — for the HBO drama if not for the disreputable people who populate it.
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Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff.
Verb
-
The waiver concedes a major point of potential leverage at the start of these 60-day talks.
-
Katie Porter concedes in race for governor.
Verb
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Previous research has demonstrated that direct exposure to nature significantly reduces physiological stress, lowers heart rates and decreases levels of stress hormones, like cortisol.
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.
Verb
-
Schools have 15 days to respond once a parent submits a letter requesting their child be tested for dyslexia.
-
Michaels adamantly submits that the answer is not submission in silence but a strong determination to fight for a party that once stood for America’s vision of liberty and justice for all, regardless of race or religion.
Verb
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In most lakes oxygen content diminishes rapidly at depths below 35 feet.
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None of this diminishes the responsibility of wealthy countries.
Verb
-
For an Astros pitching staff that surrenders the third-highest fly-ball rate of any team in the sport, this matters.
-
The ayatollahs won’t make any deal that surrenders their nuclear program.
Verb
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Landing Torbert eases the sting of missing out on five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, who committed to South Carolina on Wednesday.
-
Oil continues to fall, which eases the inflationary pressures, too.
Cite this Entry
“Relents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relents. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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