Synonyms for relieve
rɪˈlivre·lieve

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. relieve

   Etymologically, to alleviate is to lift a burden toward oneself, and so lighten it for the bearer; to relieve is to lift it back from the bearer, nearly or quite away; to remove is to take it away altogether. Alleviate is thus less than relieve; relieve, ordinarily, less than remove. We alleviate, relieve or remove the trouble; we relieve, not alleviate, the sufferer. Assuage is, by derivation, to sweeten; mitigate, to make mild; moderate, to bring within measure; abate, to beat down, and so make less. We abate a fever; lessen anxiety; moderate passions or desires; lighten burdens; mitigate or alleviate pain; reduce inflammation; soften, assuage, or moderate grief; we lighten or mitigate punishments; we relieve any suffering of body or mind that admits of help, comfort, or remedy. Alleviate has been often confused with allay. Compare ALLAY.

   Synonyms:
   abate, alleviate, assuage, lessen, lighten, mitigate, moderate, reduce, remove, soften

   Antonyms:
   aggravate, augment, embitter, enhance, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify, make worse

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. relieve

   Synonyms:
   help, succor

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. relieve, alleviate, palliate, assuageverb

   provide physical relief, as from pain

   "This pill will relieve your headaches"

   Synonyms:
   mollify, exempt, gentle, lenify, placate, unbosom, appease, allay, facilitate, excuse, gruntle, free, mitigate, ease, let off, conciliate, salvage, pacify, assuage, slake, alleviate, extenuate, salve, remedy, take over, quench, still, palliate, lighten, save

2. take over, relieveverb

   free someone temporarily from his or her obligations

   Synonyms:
   repeat, adopt, buy up, arrogate, accept, unbosom, assuage, take on, excuse, still, palliate, free, assume, ease, absorb, allay, let off, remedy, take up, usurp, alleviate, salve, exempt, salvage, take over, seize, buy out, borrow, bear, lighten, save

3. exempt, relieve, freeverb

   grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to

   "She exempted me from the exam"

   Synonyms:
   unloosen, unfreeze, unloose, ease, salvage, release, resign, save, unblock, disembarrass, rid, liberate, still, unbosom, take over, salve, allay, exempt, give up, justify, let off, absolve, palliate, excuse, assuage, relinquish, remedy, alleviate, dislodge, discharge, free, disengage, lighten, loose

4. still, allay, relieve, easeverb

   lessen the intensity of or calm

   "The news eased my conscience"; "still the fears"

   Synonyms:
   calm, ease, salvage, calm down, save, hush up, quieten, slake, unbosom, shut up, still, tranquillise, take over, salve, quiet, comfort, allay, facilitate, exempt, quench, lull, let off, palliate, excuse, assuage, remedy, alleviate, hush, silence, free, lighten, tranquilize, tranquillize

5. salvage, salve, relieve, saveverb

   save from ruin, destruction, or harm

   Synonyms:
   spare, pull through, economize, carry through, make unnecessary, ease, salvage, save, lay aside, economise, still, unbosom, take over, salve, redeem, allay, hold open, keep, save up, exempt, let off, palliate, excuse, assuage, write, preserve, deliver, remedy, alleviate, keep open, free, lighten, bring through, scavenge

6. unbosom, relieveverb

   relieve oneself of troubling information

   Synonyms:
   exempt, unbosom, allay, excuse, ease, free, salve, let off, salvage, assuage, alleviate, remedy, take over, still, palliate, lighten, save

7. remedy, relieveverb

   provide relief for

   "remedy his illness"

   Synonyms:
   exempt, unbosom, allay, excuse, ease, repair, free, salve, rectify, salvage, amend, assuage, remediate, alleviate, remedy, let off, take over, still, palliate, lighten, save

8. relieveverb

   free from a burden, evil, or distress

   Synonyms:
   exempt, unbosom, allay, excuse, free, ease, let off, salvage, assuage, alleviate, salve, remedy, take over, still, palliate, lighten, save

9. relieveverb

   take by stealing

   "The thief relieved me of $100"

   Synonyms:
   exempt, unbosom, allay, excuse, free, ease, let off, salvage, assuage, alleviate, salve, remedy, take over, still, palliate, lighten, save

10. excuse, relieve, let off, exemptverb

    grant exemption or release to

    "Please excuse me from this class"

    Synonyms:
    justify, condone, apologise, explain, unbosom, allay, rationalize, excuse, beg off, palliate, free, ease, let off, apologize, rationalise, assuage, alleviate, salve, remedy, salvage, take over, still, exempt, lighten, save, pardon

11. relieve, lightenverb

    alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive

    "relieve the pressure and the stress"; "lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents"

    Synonyms:
    exempt, lighten up, unbosom, buoy up, allay, excuse, free, ease, let off, salvage, brighten, assuage, alleviate, salve, remedy, take over, still, palliate, lighten, save

Matched Categories

1. • Comfort
   • Confide
   • Free
   • Improve
   • Medicine
   • Mitigate
   • Rescue
   • Take
   • Treat

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. alleviate

   etymologically, to alleviate is to lift a burden toward oneself, and so lighten it for the bearer; to relieve is to lift it back from the bearer, nearly or quite away; to remove is to take it away altogether. alleviate is thus less than relieve; relieve, ordinarily, less than remove. we alleviate, relieve or remove the trouble; we relieve, not alleviate, the sufferer. assuage is, by derivation, to sweeten; mitigate, to make mild; moderate, to bring within measure; abate, to beat down, and so make less. we abate a fever; lessen anxiety; moderate passions or desires; lighten burdens; mitigate or alleviate pain; reduce inflammation;[34] soften, a ssuage, or moderate grief; we lighten or mitigate punishments; we relieve any suffering of body or mind that admits of help, comfort, or remedy. alleviate has been often confused with allay. compare allay.

   Submitted by santoshk.61727 on June 10, 2023  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. relieveverb

   Synonyms:
   succor, aid, help, assist, comfort

2. relieveverb

   Synonyms:
   allay, mitigate, assuage, soothe, lessen, palliate, ease, remedy, cure, remove

3. relieveverb

   Synonyms:
   put in relief, set off by contrast

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. relieveverb

   Synonyms:
   assuage, alleviate, allay, lessen, remedy, ease, mitigate, palliate, succor, extricate, disentangle, disburden, redress, disengage

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "relieve":

   alleviate, ease, mitigate, lighten, absolve, reduce, soothe, exempt, allay, assuage, exonerate, lessen, unload, ameliorate

Suggested Resources

1. Relieve

   Relive vs. Relieve -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Relive and Relieve.

How to pronounce relieve?

How to say relieve in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use relieve in a sentence?

1. Greg Reisner:

   M&A is a function of the pressure in the market right now and it's looking to relieve that pressure.

2. Allen Sabey:

   They are unable to relieve [mental health issues] and address that as they could if they were struggling with their grades or other things that seem more traditional to for kids to struggle with.

3. David Pilgrim:

   Compassion is not pity, not even empathetic pity. There is arrogance and haughty pride in pitying others. Compassion is when we are confronted with another’s suffering and we suffer with them. Their pain is ours. We are motivated to relieve their suffering. When we feel true compassion we help those who suffer, not as a cathartic release, but because it breaks our heart that they are hurting. I have not always known or believed these things, but I am thankful that I do now.

4. Francis Collins:

   I think I did several instances say I would not be willing to do that. Here’s probably the most respected knowledgeable infectious disease expert in the world who is basically getting in hot water because he’s speaking the truth to people that do n’t want to hear it ? Is that a reason for me to relieve him of his job ? No. I would not have been willing to do that. They would have had to fire me first.

5. Johnny Chaillot-Louganis:

   I was willing to do anything just to relieve the sadness, 'Maybe it's my time now,' I said. Hurricane Katrina, the job opportunity and my personal life really encouraged me to go.