relent

American  

[ri-lent] / rɪˈlɛnt /

verb (used without object)

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

   Synonyms:

   yield, bend

2. to become less severe; slacken.

   The winds relented.

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verb (used with object)

1. Obsolete. to cause to soften in feeling, temper, or determination.

2. Obsolete. to cause to slacken; abate.

3. Obsolete. to abandon; relinquish.

relent British  

/ rɪˈlɛnt /

verb

1. to change one's mind about some decided course, esp a harsh one; become more mild or amenable

2. (of the pace or intensity of something) to slacken

3. (of the weather) to become more mild

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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

Pegula grabbed a break in game five of the first set with a forehand winner to take charge and never relented, with the Russian making 16 unforced errors.

From Barron's

George finally relented and looked at Owen’s phone.

From Literature

They relented, and by the time she had landed her first stage role in Blackbird at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2005, they had come round to the idea.

From BBC

“We will never forget, and never relent,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a post on X after the strikes were announced.

From The Wall Street Journal

Clara had finally relented and let Molly get social media a couple of years ago, with the caveat that it was exclusively professional accounts for the theater.

From Literature

Related Words

• acquiesce
• capitulate
• cave in
• come around
• comply
• ease off
• give in
• give up
• let go
• quit
• relax
• slacken
• soften
• subside