relent
Americanverb (used without object)
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relents,
present (3rd person singular)
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relented,
past participle, past
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relenting
present participle
verb (used with object)
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relents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
relented,
past participle, past
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relenting
present participle
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Obsolete. to cause to soften in feeling, temper, or determination.
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Obsolete. to cause to slacken; abate.
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Obsolete. to abandon; relinquish.
verb
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to change one's mind about some decided course, esp a harsh one; become more mild or amenable
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(of the pace or intensity of something) to slacken
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(of the weather) to become more mild
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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relentsimple
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relentssimple
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have relentedperfect
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has relentedperfect
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am relentingprogressive
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are relentingprogressive
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is relentingprogressive
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have been relentingperfect progressive
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has been relentingperfect progressive
Past
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relentedsimple
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had relentedperfect
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was relentingprogressive
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were relentingprogressive
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had been relentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of relent
1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin *relentāre, equivalent to Latin re- re- + lentāre to bend, derivative of lentus flexible, viscous, slow
Explanation
Being unwilling to relent is a good qualification for a sales person. You have to keep trying to make the sale and never give in until you've made it. The root of relent is the Latin lentus, which means "to slow down or soften." The original meaning, from the 15th century, most likely had to do with the heart — as in "to stop resisting love." Now, however, relent can have all manner of applications, but the meaning is always the same: to let up, soften, yield or give in. Often, you'll hear the adjective relentless used to describe someone who won't relent: "The firemen refused to relent; they banged relentlessly on the door until I woke up."
Vocabulary lists containing relent
The Breadwinner
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I Am Malala
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Twelve Days in May
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The unusually high temperatures won’t even relent much for those living along the coast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
But data from last month showed apparel makers appeared to relent, as costs from the Iran war and the U.S.-led trade war pile up.
From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government "won't relent in our fight against antisemitism and terror".
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
They started to relent in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked a global energy crunch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
They would undoubtedly object to the marriage, but with Babci on our side, they would relent.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
The tires’ screechy chatter only relents as the car picks up momentum in second gear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
One agent blocks one of the men helping Parias by the car door, but quickly relents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025
“OK, I think I can,” he relents, before chortling and adding: “I seriously don’t want to.”
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2024
Although he's caught and returned to base, once he fulfills a crucial duty, Woodham relents and allows James to visit home.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2024
I’m tempted to camp out on her front porch until she relents.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq relented and tried to resume the Test, but by then umpire Hair and partner Billy Doctrove had awarded the match to England.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
A month into its chai overhaul, Starbucks relented ever so slightly, stripping out water to help make the hot drink creamier and spicier again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
After some back and forth, McElwee relented, letting Adrian try his slow zooms and dynamic shots.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
While Platner—whose lead in the race had evaporated after a previous wave of stories about his relationship history—has not yet relented, he has suggested that he’s reassessing his run.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Then, one afternoon in late January, he finally relented and as-signed the jockey the race mount on a filly.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Iran’s leaders aren’t showing signs of relenting despite the continued attacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
But this has been a challenging season for Newcastle and it shows no signs of relenting.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
He made that argument repeatedly, starting several decades ago and relenting only recently.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 24, 2025
With migration showing no sign of relenting, the standoff at Gate 36 seems destined to continue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and Harry couldn’t see any way out of his situation.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
