relief

The word “relief” means a feeling of ease or reassurance after the removal of stress, pain, or worry. In plain terms, the easing of a burden — whether emotional, physical, or in the form of practical help.

“Relief” is pronounced rih-LEEF (/ɹɪˈliːf/ in IPA).

Here is “relief” used in a sentence: “It was a relief to finally hear she'd landed safely.”

“Relief” is a noun.

The word “relief” comes from Latin. From Italian rilievo, "raised work," from rilevare, "to raise," ultimately from Latin relevare.

“Relief” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Relief” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling of ease or reassurance after the removal of stress, pain, or worry.

Relief is the ease you feel when something painful or worrying is removed — the moment the burden lifts. Comfort is a broader, ongoing sense of being soothed or at ease, often given by others. Relief follows the end of distress, while comfort can be present at any time.

The wave of ease you feel when a lost child is found safe, or when test results come back clear, is relief. Other examples include the relief of finishing a hard exam, or hearing that a loved one's surgery went well. It is the calm that follows removed worry.

The opposite is distress, anxiety, or worry — the very feelings that relief brings to an end. Where relief is the easing of tension, its antonyms describe tension building or continuing, such as unease, strain, or dread. You feel relief precisely because that discomfort has finally been lifted.