relief

noun

US /rɪˈlif/

Word Forms

singular	relief
plural	reliefs

1
singular/uncountable a relaxed happy feeling that you get because something bad has not happened or a bad situation has ended
It’s a huge relief to know that everyone is safe.
to someone’s relief:
To her relief, someone had found the keys and turned them in.
Synonyms and related words
Happiness and Joy
happiness
pleasure
joy
2
uncountable the reduction of pain or the effects of an illness
It’s a drug commonly prescribed for pain relief.
relief from:
The patients experienced no relief from their symptoms.
Synonyms and related words
Medical and health treatments
acupressure
acupuncture
aftercare
3
uncountable food, clothes, and money given to people who are in urgent need of help, for example because of a war or other bad situation
flood/disaster/earthquake relief
a shipment of relief supplies bound for the Sudan
Synonyms and related words
Charity and giving money to charity
aid
aid
alms
1. 3a
  countable/uncountable old-fashionedmoney given by the government to help people who are poor, old, or unable to work
  Synonyms and related words
  Financial help given by the government
  aid
  assisted living
  benefit
4
countable arta design or sculpture consisting of a raised surface on a flat background
Synonyms and related words
Sculpture
bas-relief
bronze
bust
5
uncountable the right not to have to pay the full amount of tax or interest on an amount of money
Synonyms and related words
Relating to tax and taxation
1040 form
1099
after tax
6
singular a person or group that replaces another person or group that is away from their job or has finished a period of duty
Synonyms and related words
Colleagues
colleague
counterpart
associate
1. 6a
  only before nounrelating to a person or group that temporarily replaces another person or group in their job
  the relief crew
  Synonyms and related words
  General words for workers and types of worker
  ancillary
  apparatchik
  auxiliary
7
uncountable military help for an army or place that is being attacked or surrounded
Synonyms and related words
Fighting in a war and relating to fighting in a war
active duty
active service
aggressor
8
singular/uncountable a temporary improvement in or rest from a situation that is difficult or boring, or something that provides this
The storms continued all night, and the next morning brought no relief.
welcome/much-needed relief:
Last night’s unexpected win will bring much-needed relief to the team’s coach.
Synonyms and related words
Improvement and improvements
improvement
a change for the better/worse
development
See alsolight relief

phrases

in relief

put/throw something into (sharp/stark) relief

relief ​‌‌‌

relief ​‌‌‌

relief

relief