relief

noun

the act of freeing a city or town that has been besieged

sculpture consisting of shapes carved on a surface so as to stand out from the surrounding background

the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance)

aid for the aged or indigent or handicapped

a change for the better

a pause for relaxation

assistance in time of difficulty

someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult)

(law) redress awarded by a court

the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress)

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

Roots

rere- · Latin · back levo-lief · Latin · lighten, raise

Synonyms for relief

relievon alleviationn assuagementn embossmentn succorn easingn respiten aidn ministrationn easementn assistancen reassurancen consolationn

Synonyms & related words for relief

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of relief — including relievo, alleviation, assuagement, embossment, succor, easing. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to relief

Explore words related to relief — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include rilievo, reliefless, relievable, relievedly, reliever, disembarrassment, relieving, demirelief. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for relief

Common synonyms for relief include relievo, alleviation, assuagement, embossment, succor, easing, respite, aid — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does relief come from?

The word relief breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: re-, from Latin re (“back”); and -lief, from Latin levo (“lighten, raise”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.