Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb relieve

11 senses of relieve

Sense 1
relieve, alleviate, palliate, assuage -- (provide physical relief, as from pain; "This pill will relieve your headaches")
       => better, improve, amend, ameliorate, meliorate -- (to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes")

Sense 2
take over, relieve -- (free someone temporarily from his or her obligations)
       => free, discharge -- (free from obligations or duties)

Sense 3
exempt, relieve, free -- (grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to; "She exempted me from the exam")

Sense 4
still, allay, relieve, ease -- (lessen the intensity of or calm; "The news eased my conscience"; "still the fears")
       => comfort, soothe, console, solace -- (give moral or emotional strength to)

Sense 5
salvage, salve, relieve, save -- (save from ruin, destruction, or harm)
       => rescue, deliver -- (free from harm or evil)

Sense 6
unbosom, relieve -- (relieve oneself of troubling information)
       => confide -- (reveal in private; tell confidentially)

Sense 7
remedy, relieve -- (provide relief for; "remedy his illness")
       => treat, care for -- (provide treatment for; "The doctor treated my broken leg"; "The nurses cared for the bomb victims"; "The patient must be treated right away or she will die"; "Treat the infection with antibiotics")

Sense 8
relieve -- (free from a burden, evil, or distress)
       => rid, free, disembarrass -- (relieve from; "Rid the house of pests")

Sense 9
relieve -- (take by stealing; "The thief relieved me of $100")
       => take -- (take by force; "Hitler took the Baltic Republics"; "The army took the fort on the hill")

Sense 10
excuse, relieve, let off, exempt -- (grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class")
       => absolve, justify, free -- (let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility")

Sense 11
relieve, lighten -- (alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive; "relieve the pressure and the stress"; "lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents")
       => mitigate -- (make less severe or harsh; "mitigating circumstances")