1
as in unleashing
to set free (from a state of being held in check)
the losing player released his anger with a great yell of frustration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in giving way (to)
to find emotional release for
tried to find other ways of releasing tension than by chewing her fingernails
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in freeing
to set free (as from slavery or confinement)
release the prisoners immediately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in saving
to set free from entanglement or difficulty
the new governor finally managed to release himself from his rash campaign promise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in casting
to throw or give off
an air freshener that releases a pleasing scent into the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in announcing
to make known openly or publicly
the panel of nutritionists released their findings on the safety and effectiveness of various diets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in removing
to let go from office, service, or employment
they released the workers who couldn't handle the new technology
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of releasing
The Minneapolis Federation of Educators said agents deployed tear gas and detained an educator before releasing them.
—
Rebecca Santana, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026
Camacho gamely snatched one from the water, showing me its extraordinary teeth before releasing it again.
—Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Tagovailoa is guaranteed $54 million for 2026, and the Dolphins would incur significant hits to the salary cap by releasing him.
—Alanis Thames, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Bowie kept up an active recording schedule through the late '90s and early '00s, releasing albums in 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003.
—Alex Heigl, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
Tagovailoa is guaranteed $54 million for 2026, and the Dolphins would incur a significant salary cap hit by releasing him.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Tua Tagovailoa was benched for the final three games of 2025, and releasing him this offseason would leave the Dolphins with $99 million in dead money through 2027.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
This involves large particles breaking down over vast timescales to lighter particles, releasing energy in the form of photons, the particles of light.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Researchers hold the tubes open during a dive before releasing to close them around a parcel of water.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for releasing
Verb
-
The predictions were that unleashing AI to the world at large would lead to an exponential rise in cheating at school and that student essays would cease to be original.—
-
The triggers spanned everything from interest rate hikes to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi unleashing the country’s biggest burst of spending since pandemic restrictions eased.—
Verb
-
In a season when the team knew kickoffs would become more valuable because of touchback rule changes, the Chiefs were behind the curve on kickoff placement and freeing up their returners in the open field.—
-
IntBot’s commercial deployments now extend this social intelligence to hotels and other public spaces, freeing human staff from routine tasks.—
Verb
-
Kendricks wound up making the game-saving play by breaking up the fourth-down pass to Goedert.—
-
This nws in not just about saving the tunnel project, but is also an interesting showcase of what can be achieved with a little bit of lateral thinking and planning.—
Verb
-
Nearly 30 years after its release, Freaky Friday was remade by Mean Girls director Mark Waters, casting Lindsay Lohan in the role inspired by Foster's, and Jamie Lee Curtis in the role inspired by Harris' character.—
-
Presented by the Global Chapter of CSA, this award recognizes individuals or organizations internationally who have made a positive impact to the casting profession through innovative and meaningful contributions within the global entertainment industry.—
Verb
-
Presenter Hailee Steinfeld made her first red carpet appearance since announcing she and husband Josh Allen were expecting their first child together in a baby pink dress with a small train and Repossi jewelry.—
-
Anticipating the arrival of letters has become part of the rhythm of Helen’s day, part of the light shifting across the kitchen floor and the cuckoo of her wooden clock announcing every hour.—
Verb
-
Lucas offered to amend the ordinance, removing the requirement for detention facilities, as well as for other facilities or buildings paid for with public safety sales tax money.—
-
If surrounding trees are contributing to harmful debris buildup in your AC unit, pruning overhanging branches or removing the trees might be necessary to protect the unit.—
Verb
-
They’re made from Lee’s stretchy denim blend that’s designed to move with you without loosening throughout the day.—
-
And in November, OpenAI signed its first cloud contract with Amazon Web Services, further loosening Microsoft's once exclusive grip.—
Verb
-
Liberation is funny, poignant and, yes, liberating in its expression of the very human need for justice and freedom in an era when those words have been co-opted by forces who value only self-enrichment.—
-
In 1943, as the Red Army began liberating Soviet territories from German occupation, the committee was inundated by letters from surviving and returning Jews.—
Cite this Entry
“Releasing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/releasing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share