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| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make less painful; let up on |
| Synonyms: | abate, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, break, brighten, calm, comfort, console, cure, decrease, diminish, divert, dull, ease, free, interrupt, lighten, mitigate, moderate, mollify, palliate, qualify, quiet, relax, salve, slacken, soften, solace, soothe, subdue, take load off one's chest, take load off one's mind, temper, vary |
| Antonyms: | harm, hurt, injure, pain |
| Main Entry: | relieve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | remove blame, responsibility |
| Synonyms: | absolve, deliver, discharge, disembarrass, disencumber, dismiss, dispense, excuse, exempt, force to resign, free, let off, privilege, pull, release, spare, throw out, unburden, yank* |
| Antonyms: | accuse, blame, condemn |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | absolve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | free from responsibility, duty |
| Synonyms: | acquit, bleach, blink at, clear, discharge, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, forgive, free, go easy on, launder, let off easy, let off the hook, let off, let up on, liberate, lifeboat, loose, pardon, release, relieve, sanitize, set free, spare, spring*, vindicate, whitewash, wink at, wipe it off, wipe the slate clean, write off |
| Notes: | one is absolved of blame or responsibility but is acquitted of a charge, usually a crime |
| Antonyms: | bind, blame, charge, condemn, convict, hold, impeach, incriminate, obligate, punish, sentence |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | acquit |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | announce removal of blame |
| Synonyms: | absolve, blink at, clear, deliver, discharge, disculpate, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, free, let go, let off, let off the hook, liberate, release, relieve, vindicate, whitewash, wink at, wipe off |
| Notes: | one is absolved of blame or responsibility but is acquitted of a charge, usually a crime |
| Antonyms: | blame, censure, condemn, convict, damn, denounce, doom, sentence |
| Main Entry: | aid |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | help, support |
| Synonyms: | abet, alleviate, assist, bail out, befriend, benefact, encourage, favor, go to bat for, go with, lend a hand, lighten, mitigate, open doors for, promote, relieve, serve, stick up for, straighten out, subsidize, sustain |
| Notes: | aid is assistance or a source of assistance; aide is an assistant |
| Antonyms: | block, hinder, hurt, impede, injure, obstruct |
| Main Entry: | alternate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | take turns, change back and forth |
| Synonyms: | act reciprocally, alter, blow hot and cold, change, come and go, exchange, fill in for, fluctuate, follow, follow in turn, interchange, intersperse, oscillate, relieve, rotate, seesaw, shift, shilly-shally, substitute, sway, vacillate, vary, waver, yo-yo |
| Notes: | alternate means 'one after the other' or 'each succeeding the other in turn, especially continuously' and alternative means 'one instead of the other' or 'allowing or necessitating a choice between two or more things' |
| Antonyms: | continue |
| Main Entry: | ameliorate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make, become better |
| Synonyms: | alleviate, amend, help, improve, lighten, meliorate, mitigate, relieve, step up, upgrade |
| Antonyms: | worsen |
| Main Entry: | assist |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | help |
| Synonyms: | abet, aid, back, bail out, benefit, boost, collaborate, cooperate, do for, expedite, facilitate, further, give a boost, give a leg up, give a lift, go down the line for, go for, go to bat for, go with, grease the wheels, hype*, lend a hand, make a pitch for, open doors, plug*, puff, push*, put on the map, reinforce, relieve, ride shotgun, root for, run interference for, serve, stand up for, stump, support, sustain, take care of, thump, work for, work with |
| Antonyms: | hinder, hurt, stop, thwart |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | bail out |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | help |
| Synonyms: | aid, deliver, release, relieve, rescue, spring |
| Antonyms: | ignore, refuse |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
