RELIEVE Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'relieve' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of relieve are allay , alleviate , assuage , lighten , and mitigate . While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable. // took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Q: When is it sensible to use 'allay' instead of 'relieve'?

The words allay and relieve can be used in similar contexts, but allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms. // allayed their fears

Q: When would 'alleviate' be a good substitute for 'relieve'?

Although the words alleviate and relieve have much in common, alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. // the lotion alleviated the itching

Q: When could 'assuage' be used to replace 'relieve'?

The synonyms assuage and relieve are sometimes interchangeable, but assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable. // ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

Q: When might 'lighten' be a better fit than 'relieve'?

The words lighten and relieve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight. // good news would lighten our worries

Q: When is 'mitigate' a more appropriate choice than 'relieve'?

While in some cases nearly identical to relieve , mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful. // the need to mitigate barbaric laws

relieve

verb

ri-ˈlēv

Definition of relieve

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe an ice pack will relieve the swelling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to rid

to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers the bellhop relieved him of his luggage and led him to the elevator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to replace

to take the place of at daybreak a soldier arrived to relieve the one who had spent the night on guard duty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word relieve different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of relieve are allay, alleviate, assuage, lighten, and mitigate. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

When is it sensible to use allay instead of relieve?

The words allay and relieve can be used in similar contexts, but allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When would alleviate be a good substitute for relieve?

Although the words alleviate and relieve have much in common, alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

When could assuage be used to replace relieve?

The synonyms assuage and relieve are sometimes interchangeable, but assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When might lighten be a better fit than relieve?

The words lighten and relieve are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When is mitigate a more appropriate choice than relieve?

While in some cases nearly identical to relieve, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

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 relieve Sustained, severe blockages (hydronephrosis) can cause permanent injury if pressure isn’t relieved. — Md Published, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2026 That incident displaced thousands until a crack formed in the overheating tank, relieving the pressure and ending the risk of explosion. — Lana Zak, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 For that reason, we were actually relieved to see that while the team increased the lower end of its capital expenditure range for the full year, the upper end was left unchanged. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 On TikTok, user @wellnessrains says the technique can help relieve constipation. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relieve

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relieve

Verb

Beyond alleviating school traffic and stadium congestion, the project serves as a major utility corridor.

— Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Eric Talley, a law professor at Columbia University and corporate law expert, told CNBC that a merger could alleviate shareholders' worries about where Musk is spending his time and his companies' resources.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of alleviate

Verb

Paying down high-interest debt frees up more room in the budget.

— Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
On top of that, the number of French army soldiers that normally patrol Paris as part of the country’s counter-terrorism measures will be increased to free the police from stationary guard duties.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of free

Verb

Continue reading … DIRTY POLITICS — Antifa supporter charged with stealing GOP campaign signs in NY race to replace Stefanik.

— , FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
It's called an exchange because borrowing entities, like a regional heating oil retailer, would be required to replace the same volume at a premium ahead of next year.

— Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of replace

Verb

Representatives from Qatar, which has helped mediate negotiations between Washington and Tehran, also traveled to the Iranian capital on Sunday, Reuters reported.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Cocoa prices have dropped in the last year, but relief is coming too late to help prices for this Halloween, said David Branch, sector manager at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute.

— Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of help

Verb

Foundry Park supersedes Lincoln Yards, developer Sterling Bay's controversial $6 billion redevelopment plan for the same area.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Auburn’s trustees are asserting that their authority supersedes not only faculty expertise, but professional norms, disciplinary standards, and even accrediting bodies.

— Beth Davis Sramek, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of supersede

Verb

The hay sauna was a real standout—its subtly sweet scent is both soothing and restorative, said to ease inflammation and relax muscles.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Today’s recipe Creamy, sweet dates soothe out the lemon in these bars, while the tart lemon brightens up the dates.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of soothe

Verb

The fear of effeminization has never felt so acute, which presumably is why Matt Damon’s Odysseus needed bulging muscles, to ensure his sensitivity was mitigated by pecs of steel.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
This month, the council held a nine-hour hearing to debate tax proposals, including the BAT, as the council attempts to mitigate budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2028.

— Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of mitigate

Verb

The plan is to find candidates from families that renounced their royal status in 1947, which at the time was to ease the postwar financial burden on the monarchy.

— Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Reports have also eased slightly, with about half occurring in the first two months.

— Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of ease

Cite this Entry

Style

“Relieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relieve. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of relieve

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes