RIDDING Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

ridding

verb

present participle of rid

as in relieving

to set (a person or thing) free of something that encumbers worked two jobs to rid himself of debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 ridding The city is continuing to replace lead pipes with copper ones in the older houses in the community with funds from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), ridding the community of pipes that might harm people or contaminate water. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 The fatal crash has led city leaders and animal rights activists to take a new look at ridding New York of carriage horses. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 Cocaine trafficking is not a victimless crime, and the FBI and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to keep ridding our communities of these deadly narcotics. — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 The tea leaves are placed in bubbling jacuzzis four times over, ridding them of any impurities, albeit minimal given that the farm is organic and so large that there is no pesticide drift from neighboring farms. — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 These expert- and editor-approved kits make ridding yourself of unwanted hair a breeze. — Sara Coughlin, Allure, 7 July 2026 The first step this shampoo takes is ridding your scalp of (in my case, probably years) dead cells and product buildup. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 2 July 2026 After the Battle of the Alamo, the Mexican army ransacked the site and salvaged all the leftover artillery for future military use, ridding the battleground of most of its weaponry. — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Sun-Dry and Air-Out Sokolowski's number one go-to for ridding sheets of stale smells is hanging them either outside or in bright outdoor spaces. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ridding

Verb

This can involve releasing residual propellant, relieving pressure, and discharging or disconnecting batteries to reduce the risk of accidental explosions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 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

Definition of relieving

Verb

Lanterns works so well in part because it was conceived as a standalone complete story, albeit one with ramifications for future DCU projects, thereby freeing up the writers to create something truly unique, with no forced, awkward tie-ins.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Balenciaga was best known for revolutionizing a new silhouette for women, creating something more freeing that would allow women of the day to wear his designs sans-corset.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of freeing

Verb

As the trend grows, the focus is shifting from simply clearing the counters to making everything behind the cabinet doors work better too.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
City crews have also been clearing more than 31,000 catch basins and drainage systems and inspecting and reinforcing vulnerable hillsides and burn areas, including Pacific Palisades, Bass said in a statement.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of clearing

Browse Nearby Words

ridden (out)

ridding

riddle

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ridding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ridding. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ridding

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shindig

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