relief

/ɹɪˈliːf/

//ɹɪˈliːf// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"relief" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“relief” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,754 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,754
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The removal of stress or discomfort.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

relief vs review
67% similar
relief vs relish
67% similar
relief vs relive
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for relief
PropertyValue
Headwordrelief
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈliːf/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,754
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “relief” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). relief lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for relief is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈliːf/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,754 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for relief, with forms such as "erlief", "reilef", and "releif". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "review", "relish", "relive", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve. The correct English form is relief, spelled R-E-L-I-E-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    The removal of stress or discomfort.
  2. 2
    The feeling associated with the removal of stress or discomfort.
  3. 3
    Release from a post or duty, as when replaced by another.
  4. 4
    The person who takes over a shift for another.
  5. 5
    Aid or assistance offered in time of need.
  6. 6
    Military assistance to break a siege or an encirclement.
  7. 7
    Court-ordered compensation, aid, or protection, a redress.
  8. 8
    A lowering of a tax through special provisions; tax relief.
  9. 9
    A certain fine or composition paid by the heir of a tenant upon the death of the ancestor.
  10. 10
    Permission for a player to move their ball to a more convenient spot before taking a shot, under certain circumstances.
  11. 11
    Ellipsis of relief teacher.

Etymology

From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve.

This word in other languages

alivio(Español)soulagement(Français)Erleichterung(Deutsch)alívio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erlief,reilef,releif,relieff,relife,rellief,rleief,rrelief

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of relief - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

erlief2reilef2releif2relieff1relife2rellief1rleief2rrelief1
Edit distance from "relief"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "relief"?
"relief" is spelled R-E-L-I-E-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈliːf/.
What does "relief" mean?
As a noun, "relief" means: The removal of stress or discomfort.
What words are commonly confused with "relief"?
"relief" is commonly confused with "review", "relish", "relive". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "relief"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "relief" is /ɹɪˈliːf/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "relief"?
From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “relief”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-L-I-E-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈliːf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “review” - see the side-by-side comparison. relief vs review
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list