What does relieved mean?
Relieved describes a state of comfort or reassurance that follows the reduction or removal of worry, hardship, or responsibility. It is commonly used with expressions such as "feel relieved," "be relieved to hear," and "be relieved of." For example, a person may feel relieved after learning that a medical test was clear, while a team may be relieved of a difficult assignment. The word focuses on the emotional result of a problem becoming less severe or disappearing, rather than on ordinary calmness. It can also indicate release from a burden or obligation, as in "relieved of duty." Although it often appears in emotional contexts, relieved can also describe a practical improvement, such as being relieved of a long-standing responsibility.
Feeling happy or comforted because an unpleasant situation or worry has been removed or reduced; also, freed from a burden or obligation.
"He was relieved when the flight finally departed."
Frequently followed by "to" with an infinitive or by "of" when describing release from a burden.
Past tense and past participle of relieve.
"The rescue team relieved the residents of immediate danger."
This is an inflected verb form rather than a separate lexical meaning.
Relieved captures the particular happiness of a problem disappearing, not simply the absence of distress.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does relieved come from?
Relieved was formed in the early 19th century as the participle of relieve, meaning "to make easier, lighten, or set free." Relieve comes through Old French from Latin relevare, a compound of re-, meaning "again" or "back," and levare, meaning "to raise" or "lighten." Related English words include relief, relevant, and elevate, all reflecting different developments of the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How relieved is actually used
Relieved is commonly used with the constructions "feel relieved," "be relieved," and "be relieved of." It often implies that a specific source of anxiety or difficulty has been resolved. The phrase "relieved of" can describe removal from a burden, role, or obligation.
Easily confused with relieved
Relieved focuses specifically on the absence or reduction of worry or difficulty, whereas relaxed describes a broader state of being calm and at ease.
Relieved describes a person's emotional response to a reduced burden, while released refers more directly to being set free, discharged, or made available.