relieve

UK: /rɪˈliːv/ US: /rɪˈliv/ ,(ri lēv′)

Inflections of 'relieve' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

relieves

v 3rd person singular

relieving

v pres p

relieved

v past

relieved

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•lieve /rɪˈliv/   v., -lieved, -liev•ing. 

1. to ease, lessen, or make less unpleasant:
   [~ + object] Aspirin may relieve the pain.
2. to free from anxiety, fear, pain, etc.:
   [~ + object] We were relieved by the good news.
3. to reduce (a pressure, load, weight, etc., on a device or object under stress):
   [~ + object] This device relieves the pressure on the wheels.
4. to make less boring or monotonous by adding something different:
   [~ + object] Curtains relieved the drabness of the room.
5. to release or remove (a person on duty) by coming as or providing a substitute or replacement: [~ + object]
   The manager relieved his best pitcher.
   [~ + object + of + object]
   The first officer relieved the captain of his duty at the helm.
6. Informal Terms to take from;
   rob:
   [~ + object + of + object] The thief relieved me of my wallet.

Idioms

7. Idioms relieve oneself, to urinate or defecate.

See -lev-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•lieve  (ri lēv′), v., -lieved, -liev•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to ease or alleviate (pain, distress, anxiety, need, etc.).
2. to free from anxiety, fear, pain, etc.
3. to free from need, poverty, etc.
4. to bring effective aid to (a besieged town, military position, etc.).
5. to ease (a person) of any burden, wrong, or oppression, as by legal means.
6. to reduce (a pressure, load, weight, etc., on a device or object under stress):
   to relieve the steam pressure; to relieve the stress on the supporting walls.
7. to make less tedious, unpleasant, or monotonous; break or vary the sameness of:
   curtains to relieve the drabness of the room.
8. to bring into relief or prominence;
   heighten the effect of.
9. to release (one on duty) by coming as or providing a substitute or replacement.
10. [Mach.]
    • Mechanical Engineering to free (a closed space, as a tank, boiler, etc.) of more than a desirable pressure or vacuum.
    • Mechanical Engineering to reduce (the pressure or vacuum in such a space) to a desirable level.
11. Sport [Baseball.] to replace (a pitcher).

v.i. 

12. Sport [Baseball.] to act as a relief pitcher:
    He relieved in 52 games for the Pirates last season.
13. to relieve oneself, to urinate or defecate.

• Latin relevāre to reduce the load of, lighten, equivalent. to re- re- + levāre to raise, derivative of levis light in weight
• Middle French relever to raise
• Middle English releven 1300–50

re•liev′a•ble, adj. 
re•liev•ed•ly  (ri lē′vid lē), adv.  Synonyms

• 1. mitigate, assuage, allay, lighten, lessen, abate, diminish. See comfort. 
• 1. -4. aid, help, assist.
• 3. support, sustain.
• 4. succor.

Antonyms

• 1. intensify.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

relieve / rɪˈliːv/ verb (transitive)

1. to bring alleviation of (pain, distress, etc) to (someone)
2. to bring aid or assistance to (someone in need, a disaster area, etc)
3. to take over the duties or watch of (someone)
4. to bring aid or a relieving force to (a besieged town, city, etc)
5. to free (someone) from an obligation
6. to make (something) less unpleasant, arduous, or monotonous
7. to bring into relief or prominence, as by contrast
8. (followed by of) to take from: the thief relieved him of his watch
9. relieve oneself ⇒ to urinate or defecate

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French relever, from Latin relevāre to lift up, relieve, from re- + levāre to lighten

reˈlievable adjective