release
Other forms: released; releasing; releases
To release something or someone is to set it free, like a caged animal or a prisoner. “I shall be released” is a famous refrain from a 1967 Bob Dylan song that has come to symbolize political freedom around the world.
Release, which is a noun and a verb, has many different meanings. As a noun, it can mean a liberation, an unfastening, or the condition of being made available, like a movie or a CD. “When is the new Spiderman movie being released?” you might ask your best friend. As a verb, it can mean to relieve of suffering or obligation, like a debt. But it can also mean to lay off from a job, or surrender. “Release me from having to watch this terrible movie!” you could end up saying about the 16th Spiderman sequel. And who would blame you?
Definitions of release
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grant freedom to; free from confinement
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unspell
release from a spell
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unchain
make free
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bail
release after a security has been paid
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run
set animals loose to graze
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bail out
free on bail
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parole
release a criminal from detention and place him on parole
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release, as from one's grip
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synonyms:
let go, let go of, relinquish
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discharge, muster out
release from military service
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unclasp
release from a clasp
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pop
release suddenly
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toggle
release by a toggle switch
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unhand
remove the hand from
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bring out, let out
bring out of a specific state
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unleash
release or vent
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let loose, loose, unleash
turn loose or free from restraint
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unleash
release from a leash
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disengage, withdraw
release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles
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deactivate
remove from active military status or reassign
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demob, demobilise, demobilize
retire from military service
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demobilise, demobilize, inactivate
release from military service or remove from the active list of military service
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cannon
fire a cannon
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uncork
release
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unlock
set free or release
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eliminate (a substance)“the plant releases a gas”
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cough out, cough up, expectorate, spit out, spit up
discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth
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blow
free of obstruction by blowing air through
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abort
terminate a pregnancy by undergoing an abortion
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ovulate
produce and discharge eggs
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egest, eliminate, excrete, pass
eliminate from the body
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bleed, hemorrhage, shed blood
lose blood from one's body
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eruct, spew, spew out
eject or send out in large quantities, also metaphorical
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fester, maturate, suppurate
ripen and generate pus
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breathe, emit, pass off
expel (gases or odors)
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belch, bubble, burp, eruct
expel gas from the stomach
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force out
emit or cause to move with force of effort
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emanate, exhale, give forth
give out (breath or an odor)
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cough
exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion
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miscarry
suffer a miscarriage
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flow, menstruate
undergo menstruation
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perspire, sudate, sweat
excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
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exudate, exude, ooze, ooze out, transude
release (a liquid) in drops or small quantities
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urinate
pass after the manner of urine
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empty, evacuate, void
excrete or discharge from the body
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ca-ca, defecate, make, stool
have a bowel movement
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barf, be sick, chuck, disgorge, regurgitate, throw up, vomit, vomit up
eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth
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ptyalise, ptyalize, spew, spit, spue
expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
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spit out, splutter, sputter
spit up in an explosive manner
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radiate
send out real or metaphoric rays
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bubble
form, produce, or emit bubbles
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generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids
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release (gas or energy) as a result of a chemical reaction or physical decomposition
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type of:
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bring forth, generate
bring into existence
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bring forth, generate
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let (something) fall or spill from a container
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synonyms:
turn
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types:
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deflate
release contained air or gas from
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throw
throw (a die) out onto a flat surface
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shoot
throw dice, as in a crap game
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type of:
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channel, channelise, channelize, transfer, transmit, transport
send from one person or place to another
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deflate
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the act of liberating someone or something
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synonyms:
freeing, liberation
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jail delivery
the use of force to liberate prisoners
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deregulating, deregulation
the act of freeing from regulation (especially from governmental regulations)
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relief
the act of freeing a city or town that has been besieged
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disentanglement, extrication, unsnarling, untangling
the act of releasing from a snarled or tangled condition
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emancipation
freeing someone from the control of another; especially a parent's relinquishing authority and control over a minor child
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clearing
the act of freeing from suspicion
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manumission
the formal act of freeing from slavery
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parole
(law) a conditional release from imprisonment that entitles the person to serve the remainder of the sentence outside the prison as long as the terms of release are complied with
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probation
(law) a way of dealing with offenders without imprisoning them; a defendant found guilty of a crime is released by the court without imprisonment subject to conditions imposed by the court
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purgation, purge, purging
the act of clearing yourself (or another) from some stigma or charge
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exoneration, vindication
the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.
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whitewash
a specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over failings and defects
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type of:
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accomplishment, achievement
the action of accomplishing something
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a process that liberates or discharges something“there was a sudden release of oxygen”“the release of iodine from the thyroid gland”
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emission
the release of electrons from parent atoms
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photoemission
an emission of photoelectrons (especially from a metallic surface)
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field emission
the emission of electrons that are stripped from parent atoms by a high electric field
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photoelectric emission
the release or absorption of quanta above a certain energy level
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radiation, radioactivity
the spontaneous emission of a stream of particles or electromagnetic rays in nuclear decay
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secondary emission
the emission of electrons from a surface that is bombarded by higher energy primary electrons
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thermal emission, thermionic emission
the emission of electrons from very hot substances
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type of:
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action, activity, natural action, natural process
a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)
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the act of allowing a fluid to escape
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a device that when pressed will release part of a mechanism
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the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart)
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synonyms:
discharge, dismissal, dismission, firing, liberation, sack, sacking
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superannuation
the act of discharging someone because of age (especially to cause someone to retire from service on a pension)
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conge, congee
an abrupt and unceremonious dismissal
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removal
dismissal from office
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deactivation, inactivation
breaking up a military unit (by transfers or discharges)
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honorable discharge
a discharge from the armed forces with a commendable record
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dishonorable discharge
a discharge from the armed forces for a grave offense (as sabotage or espionage or cowardice or murder)
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Section Eight
a discharge from the US Army based on unfitness or character traits deemed undesirable
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purge
an abrupt or sudden removal of a person or group from an organization or place
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type of:
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conclusion, ending, termination
the act of ending something
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euphemistic expressions for death
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prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
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make (information) available for publication“release the list with the names of the prisoners”
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synonyms:
free
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types:
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declassify
lift the restriction on and make available again
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declassify
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make (assets) available“release the holdings in the dictator's bank account”
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Antonyms:
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block, freeze, immobilise, immobilize
prohibit the conversion or use of (assets)
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block, freeze, immobilise, immobilize
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merchandise issued for sale or public showing (especially a record or film)“a new release from the London Symphony Orchestra”
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type of:
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merchandise, product, ware
commodities offered for sale
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merchandise, product, ware
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an announcement distributed to members of the press in order to supplement or replace an oral presentation
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synonyms:
handout, press release
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type of:
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announcement, promulgation
a public statement containing information about an event that has happened or is going to happen
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announcement, promulgation
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part with a possession or right
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a formal written statement of relinquishment
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exemption, granting immunity, immunity
an act exempting someone
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fix
an exemption granted after influence (e.g., money) is brought to bear
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official immunity
personal immunity accorded to a public official from liability to anyone injured by actions that are the consequence of exerting official authority
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sovereign immunity
an exemption that precludes bringing a suit against the sovereign government without the government's consent
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testimonial immunity, use immunity
an exemption that displaces the privilege against self-incrimination; neither compelled testimony or any fruits of it can be used against the witness who therefore can no longer fear self-incrimination
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type of:
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relinquishing, relinquishment
the act of giving up and abandoning a struggle or task etc.
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a legal document evidencing the discharge of a debt or obligation
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synonyms:
acquittance
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type of:
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instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document
(law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right
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instrument, legal document, legal instrument, official document
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activity that frees or expresses creative energy or emotion
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(music) the act or manner of terminating a musical phrase or tone
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synonyms:
tone ending
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types:
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explosion, plosion
the terminal forced release of pressure built up during the occlusive phase of a stop consonant
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type of:
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conclusion, ending, termination
the act of ending something
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explosion, plosion
Pronunciation
US
/rɪˈlis/
UK
/rɪˈlis/
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