ENGLISH
REFERENCE

reliever

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɹiˈɫivɝ// UK //ɹɪlˈiːvɐ// re·liev·er Archaic Slang

n. something that helps you feel better by taking away pain or stress. You might use this word for a medicine or even a person who helps you relax.

n. a substance, person, or device that mitigates pain, discomfort, or psychological stress. Often used in medical contexts to describe analgesics or in sports to describe a substitute player.


SIMPLE

I took a pain reliever for my headache.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor recommended an over-the-counter pain reliever to help manage the swelling in her ankle.

COMPLEX

While pharmacological relievers are effective for acute symptoms, chronic pain management often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving physical therapy and psychological support.

Synonyms
Origin

From relieve + -er.

Usage

Commonly appears in compound nouns such as 'pain reliever' or 'stress reliever'.

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