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release

/ɹəˈliːs/
nounverb

RELEASE means setting someone or something free, or making something available; its seven Scrabble tiles score 7 points.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

  2. The distribution, either public or private, of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product.

  3. Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).

    “The video store advertised that it had all the latest releases.”

  4. That which is released, untied or let go.

    “They marked the occasion with a release of butterflies.”

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To let go of; to cease to hold or contain.

    “He released his grasp on the lever.”

  2. To make available to the public.

    “They released the new product later than intended.”

  3. To free or liberate; to set free.

    “He was released after two years in prison.”

  4. To discharge.

    “They released thousands of gallons of water into the river each month.”

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
alleviationreliefcomfortconsolationeaselissrespitesolace
Opposite
hold

RELEASE is a familiar seven-letter word used for freeing a person, animal, or mechanism, and for the launch of software or other goods. It can also name something that has just become available. Every tile is worth one Scrabble point, so the base score is easy to calculate. The unusual word-game detail: this entry has no anagrams and no one-letter neighbours.

RELEASE at a glance

  • RELEASE has 7 letters and scores 7 Scrabble points.
  • All seven tiles—R, E, L, E, A, S, and E—are worth one point each.
  • The word has no listed anagrams, despite having three Es.
  • No one-letter neighbours appear for RELEASE; its 12 rhymes include PLEASE, CASE, and PHRASE.

What does RELEASE mean?

RELEASE most often means the act of setting someone or something free. You might release a prisoner, let a caged animal go, or release a stuck mechanism. The word also describes making a software version, product, or other item available to the public or privately.

As a noun, RELEASE can name the thing made available, such as a new software release. Its uses connect the senses: something or someone is let go, untied, or made accessible. That range makes it a common word, not just a convenient rack of repeated letters.

How RELEASE scores and connects to other words

The seven-point total comes from R, E, L, E, A, S, and E, each worth one point. The repeated E does not change the tile value; it simply contributes three of the seven points. The score shown is the tile total before any board-square bonuses.

RELEASE has zero anagrams and zero one-letter neighbours in the word relationships, so it offers no alternate arrangement or single-tile swap to pursue. Its sound has more company: 12 listed rhymes share the -ase ending, including PLEASE, CASE, CHASE, and DECREASE. Check your game's word list before playing, since accepted entries depend on the dictionary your game uses.

Rhymes with release

All rhymes

Questions people ask

How many points is RELEASE in Scrabble?
RELEASE scores 7 points from its letter tiles. R, L, A, and S each contribute one point, and the three Es contribute one point apiece. Board premiums can change the final turn score, but the base tile value remains seven.
What are the anagrams of RELEASE?
RELEASE has no listed anagrams. Although the word contains three Es and several other common letters, those letters do not form another entry in its anagram set.
What words rhyme with RELEASE?
Twelve listed words rhyme with RELEASE, including PLEASE, CASE, PHRASE, CHASE, and DECREASE. They share its -ase ending, though their spelling and syllable patterns vary.

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