relieve
rih-LEEV
Relieve (verb) means to ease or reduce pain, distress, or worry. Example: “The medicine helped relieve his back pain.”
verb
1
To ease or reduce pain, distress, or worry.
"The medicine helped relieve his back pain."
"Talking to a friend can relieve a lot of stress."
"A warm bath can relieve aching muscles after a long walk."
2
To free someone from a duty, task, or responsibility, often by taking their place.
"A fresh guard arrived to relieve him at midnight."
"The night nurse will relieve the day staff at eight o'clock."
"Who is going to relieve me at the till so I can have lunch?"
How to use relieve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make a burden lighter, whether that's pain, stress, or a duty someone else can take over.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
relieve stress
relieve pain
relieve someone of duty
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- relieves
- Past tense
- relieved
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The medicine helped _____ his back pain.
Etymology
From Old French relever, from Latin relevare, "to lift up, lighten" — from re- plus levare, "to lift."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for relieve
See all rhymes for relieve →Frequently asked questions
What does “relieve” mean?
The word “relieve” means to ease or reduce pain, distress, or worry. In plain terms, to make a burden lighter, whether that's pain, stress, or a duty someone else can take over.
How do you pronounce “relieve”?
“Relieve” is pronounced rih-LEEV (/ɹɪˈliːv/ in IPA).
How do you use “relieve” in a sentence?
Here is “relieve” used in a sentence: “The medicine helped relieve his back pain.”
What is another word for “relieve”?
Words with a similar meaning to “relieve” include allay and assuage.
What part of speech is “relieve”?
“Relieve” is a verb.
Where does the word “relieve” come from?
The word “relieve” comes from Latin. From Old French relever, from Latin relevare, "to lift up, lighten" — from re- plus levare, "to lift.".
Is “relieve” a common word?
“Relieve” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “relieve” have?
“Relieve” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to ease or reduce pain, distress, or worry.
What is the difference between relieve and alleviate?
Relieve and alleviate both mean to ease pain, distress, or worry, and they are close synonyms. Alleviate tends to suggest a partial or gradual easing rather than complete removal, while relieve can describe either a partial easing or full removal of the problem. Both words work in medical and emotional contexts.
What does it mean to relieve someone of a duty?
To relieve someone of a duty means to free them from a task or responsibility, often by taking their place, such as relieving a guard at the end of a shift. This sense focuses on transferring or ending an obligation rather than easing pain or distress.
What preposition follows relieve when talking about duties?
Relieve is followed by "of" when referring to duties or responsibilities, as in "relieve someone of their post" or "relieve a worker of their duties." When referring to pain or distress, relieve is often used without a following preposition, as in "relieve the pain."
