Relief Meaning
/ɹɪˈliːf/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe removal of stress or discomfort.
nounThe feeling associated with the removal of stress or discomfort.
Sentence Examples
You have to raise funds for the relief work.
Once outside, I gave a deep sigh of relief.
I felt a huge sense of relief when I heard they were all OK.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
When the painkiller finally kicked in, she felt a great sense of ____ from her headache.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She let out a long sigh of ____ when she heard that her son had arrived home safely after the storm.
Word Origin & History
From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness,[…]. It was with a palpable relief that he heard the first warning notes of the figure."
— 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
"Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one,[…].”"
— 1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC:
"DfT's action was greeted with great relief in many quarters."
— 2020 April 8, Philip Haigh, “Out of the current crisis we could see meaningful changes”, in Rail, page 56:
"At Leeds a relief crew was waiting—but without a relief locomotive; after some discussion, the new men offered to take on the A3. [...]."
— 1963 February, “Motive Power Miscellany: London Midland Region”, in Modern Railways, page 136:
"On busy days, they also may be seen bowling along the Brighton main line, north of Keymer Junction, with a relief Newhaven boat express, […]."
— 1950 November, R. A. H. Weight, “A Railway Recorder in Southern England”, in Railway Magazine, page 772:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
When the painkiller finally kicked in, she felt a great sense of ____ from her headache.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She let out a long sigh of ____ when she heard that her son had arrived home safely after the storm.