relieve
relieve Lexical Profile
relieve Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To cause pain, distress, or difficulty to become less severe or serious.
"Applying a warm compress can help relieve muscle tension in the neck and shoulders."
To release someone from an ongoing duty, post, or shift by taking their place.
"The night nurse arrived promptly at ten o'clock to relieve the evening staff."
To free someone from a burdensome task, obligation, or responsibility, or to dismiss them from an official position.
"Hiring an assistant will relieve the manager of routine administrative chores."
To make something less monotonous, uniform, or tedious by introducing contrast or variety.
"A few vibrant paintings on the wall helped relieve the stark simplicity of the room."
• Rhymes for relieve
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French relever ('to raise again, assist, ease'), from Latin relevare ('to raise again, lighten, alleviate'), formed from re- ('again') and levare ('to raise, lighten'), from levis ('light in weight').