1
as in succumbed
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
the supervisor finally relented in the face of the petition, and allowed employees to take longer lunch breaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in subsided
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the fury of the storm relented, and the next day the sun finally broke through the clouds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of relented
Director David Fincher ultimately relented and did not make Affleck wear the hat.
—
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Finland struck early and never relented, holding Latvia to just four shots on goal while scoring three times in the opening period to take control.
—Wire Report, Twin Cities, 29 Dec. 2025
Following his abysmal 2024 season, Houser finally relented.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Moments later, at roughly 10 minutes till 1 in the morning, Naroditsky finally relented, and ended the live-stream.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 18 Dec. 2025
Ultimately, a handful of Democratic senators relented, voting last month to reopen the government in exchange for the promise of a vote on extending the health subsidies.
—Sam Gringlas, NPR, 17 Dec. 2025
The back-and-forth continued for several minutes before Geyser relented and wrote her name on a piece of paper for the deputies, resulting in her arrest.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 25 Nov. 2025
The crew argued back, and finally the soldiers relented.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
After the first inmate deaths were confirmed by the Santa Rosa County Medical Examiner’s Office, the department relented and began divulging new details.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relented
Verb
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Done in by Immanuel Quickley burying a 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Hornets succumbed to the Toronto Raptors 97-96 at Spectrum Center on Wednesday night.—
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Trim away any roots that have succumbed to root rot.—
Verb
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In the two weeks since the Justice Department failed to fully meet a legal deadline to release its expansive tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein, old conspiracy theories about his life and death have subsided and new ones have taken shape.—
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As entheogenic effects subsided, the digital-age healer pulled out her iPhone and showed me photos from her recent trip home.—
Verb
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But under questioning from Cruz, Vladeck conceded that approving a nondisclosure order without any factual proffer would be inconsistent with a judge’s oath, if that hypothetical were true.—
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Some peers, smart ones, have conceded the death of this tradition.—
Verb
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Content licensing revenues decreased 27% to $59 million primarily due to the timing and availability of deliveries in the period.—
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The median sale price for detached homes remained flat at $650,000, while attached homes decreased by 3% to $388,220.—
Verb
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Tips submitted anonymously to the hotline may be eligible for a reward of up to $25,000.—
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Tips may also be submitted anonymously through the P3 Tips smartphone app.—
Verb
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Davie’s successor will inherit an organization wrestling with its place in a media ecosystem dominated by overseas tech giants, as well as battling enemies closer to home, with conservative politicians and media proprietors wishing to see the BBC diminished during charter renewal.—
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The war diminished Iran’s deterrence capability and exposed the regime’s weakness.—
Verb
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Eventually, his parents surrendered to his passion for figure skating.—
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Meanwhile, the offense has surrendered just 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.—
Verb
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The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.—
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That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.—
Cite this Entry
“Relented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relented. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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