Synonyms

relent

American

[ri-lent] / rɪˈlɛnt /

verb (used without object)

to soften in feeling, temper, or determination; become more mild, compassionate, or forgiving.

Synonyms:

yield, bend
to become less severe; slacken.

The winds relented.

verb (used with object)

Obsolete. to cause to soften in feeling, temper, or determination.
Obsolete. to cause to slacken; abate.
Obsolete. to abandon; relinquish.

relent British

/ rɪˈlɛnt /

verb

to change one's mind about some decided course, esp a harsh one; become more mild or amenable
(of the pace or intensity of something) to slacken
(of the weather) to become more mild

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nonrelenting adjective
relentingly adverb
unrelented adjective

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

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.

Sure, I can relent that “Project Hail Mary” is less urgent than this year’s best picture winner, “One Battle After Another,” and not as hyper-specifically relevant to our times as “Eddington.”

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

That’s been the overwhelming motivation for residents in this neighborhood, who have refused to relent against an erratic landslide that has presented challenge after challenge.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

Spare a thought then for Switzerland, which has been hit with punitive tariffs of 39%, and has so far been unable to persuade the US president to relent.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

If they apply enough pressure, legally or emotionally, you will relent.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

Only after she genuinely faints during a session, rather than perfectly executing the choreographed dramatic swoon, does he relent to a respite at their home in New York.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023