relieveverb
uk/rɪˈliːv/us/rɪˈliːv/relieve verb (MAKE BETTER)
C2 [ T ] to make an unpleasant feeling, such as pain or worry, less strong:
[ T ] to improve an unpleasant situation:
More examples
- Rubbing dock leaves on nettle stings helps to relieve the pain.
- The routine was the same every day, with nothing to relieve the monotony.
- There must be some way you can relieve the pain.
- This cream relieves the swelling caused by insect stings.
- They removed the blood clot in order to relieve the pressure on her brain.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Becoming and making less strong
- abate
- adulterate
- attenuate
- attrition
- blow over
- blunt
- dial
- dim
- emasculate
- flagging
- jelly
- keep sb down
- knock/take the stuffing out of sb/sth idiom
- muffle
- neutralize
- pine
- sag
- shake
- wilt
- wither on the vine idiom
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
relieve verb (HELP)
[ T ] to provide relief for a bad situation or for people in need:
[ T ] to take the place of someone and continue doing their job or duties:
[ T ] formal to free a place that has been surrounded by an enemy army by military force:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making things better
- a shot in the arm idiom
- add salt to sth idiom
- allay
- alleviate
- ameliorate
- heal
- make sb/sth over
- mitigate
- mollify
- more
- palliate
- redeem
- salve
- spice
- spice sth up
- sting
- straighten
- straighten sb out
- streamline
- tonic
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
relieve verb (URINATE)
polite word for urinate :
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal physiology: urine & urinating
- accident
- bathroom
- be caught/taken short idiom
- diuretic
- go to the bathroom idiom
- leak
- micturition
- pass
- pass water idiom
- spend
- take a leak/have a leak idiom
- tinkle
- urethra
- urethral
- uric
- urinate
- urination
- waterworks
- wee
- wet your pants idiom
See more results »