relented; relenting; relents
1
a
: to become less severe, harsh, or strict usually from reasons of humanity
b
: to cease resistance : give in
Synonyms
Examples of relent in a Sentence
Our application was initially refused, but the city relented in the end and the permit was issued.
They had refused to pay and relented only after being threatened with a lawsuit.
The winds would not relent.
Recent Examples on the Web
But, after hours of intense pressure, including emotional pleas from his wife Tanya and former coach Joe Gibbs, Snyder finally relented, allowing the sale to go through.
—
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
But after battling the authorities for five years, Mr. Morandi relented.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
But with the election over and President-elect Donald Trump set to take office, some aides thought there might be a slim chance to persuade Biden to relent in his last days in office, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.
—Ellen Nakashima, arkansasonline.com, 6 Jan. 2025
His backing of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in 2023 did little to dislodge the Californian's right-wing detractors, who only relented after 15 grueling ballots.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for relent 
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Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
But after battling the authorities for five years, Mr. Morandi relented.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
But with the election over and President-elect Donald Trump set to take office, some aides thought there might be a slim chance to persuade Biden to relent in his last days in office, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.
—Ellen Nakashima, arkansasonline.com, 6 Jan. 2025
His backing of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in 2023 did little to dislodge the Californian's right-wing detractors, who only relented after 15 grueling ballots.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for relent
Dictionary Entries Near relent
Cite this Entry
“Relent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relent. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
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relent
verb
re·lent
ri-ˈlent 
1
: to become less severe, harsh, or strict
2
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