Basic Details
Word: Relieve
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To make pain, worry or a problem less, or to take over a duty from someone so that they can rest.
Synonyms: ease, soothe, lessen, free
Antonyms: worsen, aggravate, increase
How to Spell Relieve
Syllables: re - lieve
Tricky part: The long ee sound is spelt ie, as in believe. Students write ei, or ea as in leave.
Watch out for: releive, releave, rilieve
Memory tip: Relieve holds the word lie. When your headache is relieved, you can lie down and rest: re + lie + ve.
Usage Examples
Example 1: A cold towel helped relieve Dadi's headache.
Example 2: A fresh bowler came on to relieve Bumrah after six overs.
Example 3: The new flyover should relieve traffic near the station.
Fun Fact
The noun is relief, and in geography a relief map shows hills and valleys as if raised from the surface, an echo of the Latin root meaning to raise.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The doctor said a warm salt-water gargle twice a day would releive Arjun's sore throat faster than sweets.
a) gargle
b) doctor
c) throat
d) releive
Show answer
d) releive. After l the rule is i before e, as in believe; ei comes after c.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word relieve as used in the sentence:
Gentle stretching can relieve the stiffness in your back after a long bus ride.
a) ease
b) cause
c) increase
d) hide
Show answer
a) ease. To relieve stiffness is to ease it, making it less.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
This honey and ginger syrup will evieler your cough within an hour.
a) believe
b) relive
c) relieve
d) revile
Show answer
c) relieve. Relive and revile are one e short, and believe needs a b; seven letters with three e's spell relieve.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. When a fielder relieves the wicketkeeper, he ____.
a) drops the ball
b) claps for him
c) takes over the job
d) argues with him
Show answer
c) takes over the job
2. You feel relieved when ____.
a) you lose a book
b) a test begins
c) a storm starts
d) a worry is over
Show answer
d) a worry is over
