overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

relief.

The removal of stress or discomfort.

6 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/rɪˈliːf/UK/ɹɪˈliːf//rɪˈlif/US
  1. The removal of stress or discomfort.

    countable · uncountable
    I sighed with relief when I found out that my daughter hadn't got lost, but was waiting for me at home.
  2. The feeling associated with the removal of stress or discomfort.

    countable · uncountable
  3. Release from a post or duty, as when replaced by another.

    countable · uncountable
  4. The person who takes over a shift for another.

    countable · uncountable
    Officer Schmidt can finally go home because his relief has arrived.
  5. Aid or assistance offered in time of need.

    countable · uncountable
    Relief arrived quickly after the disaster.
  6. Military assistance to break a siege or an encirclement.

    countable · uncountable
  7. Court-ordered compensation, aid, or protection, a redress.

    countable · uncountable
  8. A lowering of a tax through special provisions; tax relief.

    countable · uncountable
  9. A certain fine or composition paid by the heir of a tenant upon the death of the ancestor.

    countable · uncountable
  10. Permission for a player to move their ball to a more convenient spot before taking a shot, under certain circumstances.

    countable · uncountable
  11. Ellipsis of relief teacher.

    Australia · New-Zealand · abbreviation · alt-of · colloquial · countable · ellipsis · uncountable
    Do we have a relief for maths today?
Where this word comes from

From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve.

noun/rɪˈliːf/UK/ɹɪˈliːf//rɪˈlif/US
  1. A method of sculpture or other artwork in which shapes or figures protrude from a flat background.

    uncountable
  2. A sculpture or other artwork made with such a method.

    countable
  3. The apparent difference in elevation in the surface of a painting or drawing made noticeable by a variation in light or color.

    countable · uncountable
  4. The difference of elevations on a surface.

    countable · uncountable
    the relief on that part of the Earth's surface
  5. Relative distinctness, perceived difference due to contrast.

    countable · uncountable
  6. The supposed projection of a charge from the surface of a field, indicated by shading on the sinister and lower sides.

    countable · uncountable
Where this word comes from

From Italian rilievo, from rilevare (“to raise”), from Latin relevō (“to raise”).

adj/rɪˈliːf/UK/ɹɪˈliːf//rɪˈlif/US
  1. Characterized by surface inequalities.

  2. Of or used in letterpress.

Where this word comes from

From Italian rilievo, from rilevare (“to raise”), from Latin relevō (“to raise”).

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

relief has 6 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

relief studiorelief workshello, relief

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.