relieve
B1Neutral to Formal (common in everyday, medical, professional, and military contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To make a negative physical or emotional state (e.g., pain, pressure, boredom, duty) less severe or to remove it entirely.
To alleviate distress, pressure, or monotony; to replace someone in a duty or position; to bring military aid to a besieged place; to make something less monotonous or boring; to release someone from a duty or obligation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a partial or temporary solution rather than a permanent cure. In sports/idioms ('reliever', 'relieve oneself') it has specific connotations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning. In military/sports contexts, both use terms like 'relief pitcher' (US) / 'relief bowler' (UK). The phrase 'to relieve oneself' (urinate/defecate) is equally formal/euphemistic in both.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in everyday contexts (e.g., 'This will relieve your headache') compared to more casual synonyms like 'ease'. Medical/professional usage is identical.
Frequency
Comparably frequent. Slightly higher in medical/formal British texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] relieves [Object] (e.g., The drug relieves pain)[Subject] relieves [Person] of [Duty/Burden] (e.g., He relieved me of my responsibilities)[Subject] is relieved at/by [Event] (Adjective use, e.g., I was relieved to hear the news)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “relieve oneself (euphemism for urinate/defecate)”
- “relieve someone of their duties (to dismiss)”
- “relieve the monotony”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To relieve someone of a position; to relieve financial pressure.
Academic
To relieve suffering; a finding that relieves a theoretical tension.
Everyday
To relieve pain or stress; feeling relieved.
Technical
In engineering: to relieve pressure in a system. In medicine: to relieve symptoms.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Paracetamol can help to relieve minor aches.
- The manager relieved him of his duties after the incident.
- The cavalry was sent to relieve the besieged fortress.
American English
- This cream should relieve the itching.
- The new policy relieved a significant tax burden.
- The pitcher was relieved in the seventh inning.
adverb
British English
- She smiled relievedly as the pressure eased. (rare/formal)
- He nodded relievedly at the good news. (rare/formal)
American English
- He sighed relievedly after finishing the marathon. (rare/formal)
- They looked at each other relievedly. (rare/formal)
adjective
British English
- She gave a relieved sigh when the train arrived.
- I was immensely relieved to hear you were safe.
- A relieved expression spread across his face.
American English
- We were all relieved when the test was over.
- He sounded relieved on the phone.
- With relieved laughter, they celebrated the narrow escape.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This medicine will relieve your headache.
- I was relieved when I found my keys.
- The rain relieved the hot weather.
- The charity works to relieve poverty in the region.
- Can you relieve me at the reception desk at noon?
- We need a break to relieve the boredom.
- The new evidence relieved him of any suspicion.
- Negotiations have relieved tensions between the two countries.
- The valve is designed to relieve excess pressure.
- The general's strategy succeeded in relieving the besieged city.
- The treaty did little to relieve the underlying geopolitical strains.
- His witty remark relieved the fraught atmosphere in the boardroom.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of RE-LIEVE: Imagine you have a heavy LIE (burden) on your chest, and someone helps you RE-move it, so you can LIE down and rest, feeling relieved.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGATIVE STATES ARE BURDENS/PRESSURE (to relieve is to lift/lighten the burden or reduce the pressure).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'relive' (переживать заново).
- The adjective 'relieved' (испытывающий облегчение) is often mistranslated as 'relaxed' (расслабленный).
- The phrase 'relieve oneself' is a formal euphemism, not a direct equivalent of Russian 'облегчиться'.
- 'To relieve a siege' is a military term (деблокировать), not 'освобождать' in a general sense.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'I felt relieve.' Correct: 'I felt relieved.' (adjective form)
- Incorrect: *'This medicine relieves from pain.' Correct: 'This medicine relieves pain.' or 'relieves me of pain.'
- Confusing spelling with 'belief' or 'believe'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'relieve' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Relieve' focuses on reducing or removing something unpleasant (stress, pain, duty). 'Release' focuses on setting free from confinement or restriction (prisoner, information, a catch).
Yes. e.g., 'The night nurse will relieve you at 10 PM.' It implies taking over a duty so the other person can stop.
No. The correct adjective form is 'relieved'. You must say 'I feel relieved' or 'I feel a sense of relief'.
The primary noun form is 'relief'. e.g., 'The medicine brought immediate relief.'