relented

past tense of relent
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

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 relented With more depth on the pitching staff this season, coach Yvette Tovar finally relented. Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Houston has relented, however, following the council’s ouster of Commissioner Omar Farmer, an outspoken police critic, and a cooling-off of tensions between Houston and Commissioner Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, the current chair of the watchdog body. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 24 June 2026 The president relented, and the surrounding grass was covered, but not the roses. ABC News, 18 June 2026 Tillis relented only after the DOJ closed the criminal probe and referred the matter to the Fed’s inspector general. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 17 June 2026 After the Los Angeles Film Critics Association anointed Brazil with a trio of awards, including Best Picture, Sheinberg relented and released a 132-minute cut supervised by Gilliam. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 After a public backlash, Microsoft later relented and vowed no such legal action would occur. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 Larson, a semi-retired marketing professional, put on her volunteer hat and got to talking to City Hall, which soon relented. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026 The Knicks, however, never relented. Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for relented
Verb
  • One man ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
    Noe Padilla, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • Five people died at the scene, while a sixth person succumbed to their injuries in hospital, police said.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • A little light headedness was the only immediate side effect for a first-timer, but that quickly subsided.
    Tom Bogert, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • Early on, Jonah couldn't be indoors during rumbling Florida thunderstorms because the noise reminded Jonah of the collapse, so father and son would take long drives until the storm subsided.
    Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The match also will pose a significant challenge for the Mexican team, which has not conceded a goal during the World Cup but will face an English side that excels in aerial play, with lethal scorers like Kane and Jude Bellingham.
    Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • At this World Cup, Mexico have not conceded a goal through their four matches.
    Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Nearly everyone who has died is believed to be 65 years old or older, because of their more limited ability to cool themselves down due to poor blood flow and decreased ability to sweat.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
  • According to the Office of the State's Attorney for Harford County, Gaeta drove 371 feet during those 5 seconds and only decreased speed from 53mph to 47mph.
    CBS Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Participants will have to stick to an average speed of below 50 kilometers an hour, on roads open to regular traffic, and will be submitted to time controls, passage checks, average speed trials and regularity trials.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 3 July 2026
  • McClure said Jefferson worked on the draft in between other obligations, and on June 28, the committee submitted it to Congress.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • But later, when the same image appeared alongside a photo of someone the participant relied on for support, like a partner, parent, or friend, the fear response diminished.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s great rival, who is forty-one and diminished, showed the danger of staying too long.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Records seized during a May 1 search warrant showed that at least 918 dogs were transferred or surrendered to Miranda’s Rescue between January 2025 and April 2026.
    Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control is no longer accepting non-emergency owner surrendered animals due to overcrowding.
    Eva Flowe July 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • That the forest below has not been felled but has swelled, along with its creatures, is hugely the work of Dharana’s owners, the de Souza family.
    Horatio Clare, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 June 2026
  • The most dangerous situation appeared to be on Barrington Avenue, west of East Dundee Village Hall, where a light, a utility pole and part of a parkway tree were felled by strong winds, leaving power lines dangling across the road.
    Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Relented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/relented. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on relented

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster