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
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
One partner relents to the other’s wishes, without presenting their own needs and wants.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
When utilities and grid operators push back, FERC generally relents.
—Brian Deese, Foreign Affairs, 9 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
-
If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
23 Sep. 2025
-
When Day succumbs to his wounds, Dusk seizes the vacuum, claiming Hari Seldon’s psychohistory crystal.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Mariners traversing the bar are urged to exercise extreme caution or stay in port until the threat subsides.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Their base case assumes that recovery will resume once uncertainty subsides.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Currently, federal law only guarantees a cow’s milk substitute—such as fortified soy milk—if a parent submits a physician’s note documenting a disability.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The city’s existing process has design work being completed either by city engineers or outside architects before a contractor is chosen — a decision based on which contractor submits the lowest bid.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That’s important because your power naturally and rapidly decreases as you age, Booker says.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
24 Oct. 2025
-
For instance, frequently reloading a gun before the ammo counter hits zero will present a Flaw called Overprepared, which increases each gun’s magazine size but temporarily decreases a character’s damage output if a gun does reach zero ammo before a reload.—
Jason Fanelli,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Yes, Vonn concedes, the Zooms involved in her investments, foundation, and other projects don’t give her the same adrenaline boost as zooming down a mountain.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Despite the advances in AI, Duan concedes that early domestic CAE software lagged behind foreign competitors in several areas.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Oct. 2025
-
At the risk of over-generalizing, as the protein content of a drink rises, its deliciousness diminishes.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Dallas has given up the most passing yards in the league, and their secondary surrenders lots of open windows.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Hamas asserts control Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the war cannot end until Hamas surrenders its weapons and cedes control of Gaza, a demand the fighters have rejected.—
Maayan Lubell,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Rashee Rice offers another layer to this offense, which eases the burden on Mahomes’ legs and makes every other target better.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
According to local belief, sending a lantern upward helps cleanse a person’s spirit and eases their misfortunes, clearing the path for good luck in the coming year.—
Sarah Buder,
AFAR Media,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Relents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relents. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
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