RELIEF Synonyms: 87 Similar and Opposite Words

relief

noun

ri-ˈlēf

Definition of relief

as in consolation

a feeling of ease from grief or trouble my coworkers' kind words gave me some relief from the grief that I was feeling upon the death of my partner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in replacement

a person or thing that takes the place of another I can't go home from my nursing shift until my relief shows up to take over

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in comfort

reduction of or freedom from pain the aspirin gave him some relief from the headache

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of relief Council members went door to door in the months after the surge to help small business owners — several of whom do not speak English as their first language, if at all — complete paperwork for emergency relief funds. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Gasser had two relief outings during Milwaukee’s playoff run last year and allowed two runs over 2 2/3 innings. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Advertisement With no end to the war in sight and an approaching winter that will see a rise in energy demand and costs, policymakers need to move quickly to offer relief to families. — Sanya Carley, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 Many consumers consider little treats part of their self-care routine or associate them with rewards and stress relief, according to the same research. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for relief

Recent Examples of Synonyms for relief

Noun

But the consolations of art do not depend on achievement, and that might be Kingsolver’s most direct riposte to her critics.

— Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
In these cases, a president can act as a moral force, particularly in consolation.

— John Dickerson, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of consolation

Noun

At Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, its flagship, Anthem’s broad-network plan pays almost $100,000 for a major joint replacement, compared with $28,000 from Medicare.

— Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Two visions of Social Security Boccia’s argument was that Social Security has become an expensive wage-replacement system that sends its largest benefits to people most capable of providing for themselves.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of replacement

Noun

Sharing stories, experiences, and encouragement creates safe spaces for survivors to begin navigating their own lives.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
His work shows how discipline, resilience and encouragement can help young people find their footing.

— The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of encouragement

Noun

Fight to Unite might appear to be a substitute for the missing Las Vegas festival, but bringing Punk Rock Bowling to Los Angeles has been discussed for years.

— Dick Slaughter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
There is no substitute for the human connection, human thought, human nuance.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of substitute

Noun

At the heart of the EU’s approach is a new adaptation framework due for release later this month.

— Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
The release follows on from a March announcement that International Energy Agency member countries would release 426 million barrels of oil and products to stabilize the oil market.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of release

Noun

This informed the wardrobe that encompasses a rock ’n’ roll attitude with glamour, allure and ease.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
The first framing question is inspired by Jason Wei, who wrote that the ease of training AI to solve a task is proportional to how verifiable the task is.

— Adriana Munoz Vergara, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026