Remember the last time you felt stressed or on edge? And then, when it was finally over—how did you feel? Probably relieved, right? That’s exactly the feeling we’re talking about in this post. We’ll look at some handy, everyday English phrases that capture that sense of relief perfectly. So let’s dive in!

These phrases are commonly used to express relief in a range of situations, from mild everyday relief to more intense moments. Here’s how:

1. I thought I lost my passport, but it was in my bag the whole time. What a relief!
2. Thank goodness the rain stopped before the wedding ceremony began.
3. Thank heavens they are home safely.
4. I talked to her, cleared things up—it’s all good now.
5. It was tough, but we made it through.
6. It was a rough patch, but that’s behind us now.
7. There were a few bumps along the way, but all’s well that ends well. (= We can forget about how unpleasant and difficult it was because it’s all good now.)
8. Now that the test is over, it’s such a weight off my shoulders.
9. Knowing that she’s home safely really takes a load off my mind.
10. Once I got the test results and everything was normal, I could finally breathe easy.
11. Now that I know he’s safe, my heart can rest easy.
12. I nearly dropped my phone in the toilet. That was close! (Something bad almost happened but was narrowly avoided.)
13. I was almost assigned to that impossible project, but they chose someone else. Dodged a bullet there! (= I narrowly avoided that potentially disastrous situation.)
14. We thought we’d have to cancel the trip, but the flights got rebooked. Crisis averted.
15. Now that the rent’s paid, that’s one less thing to worry about.

Practice

Exercise 1. Click the link here and match the parts of the sentences.

Exercise 2. Click the link here and complete the sentences with the right words.

Exercise 3. Read each situation and think: Which phrase would best express relief here? Then compare your answer to the suggested response. Note that there is more than one possible answer.

1. You just finished your final exam after weeks of studying and stress.
   Your answer: ___
2. You almost missed your train, but you ran and caught it just in time.
   Your answer: ___
3. A friend was in a car accident, but you find out they’re completely unharmed.
   Your answer: ___
4. You thought your phone was stolen, but it was in your jacket pocket the whole time.
   Your answer: ___
5. There was a sudden issue with your flight, but the airline fixed it before departure.
   Your answer: ___
6. You were almost assigned a super stressful task at work, but someone else got it instead.
   Your answer: ___
7. After a long conversation, you and your partner finally resolved an argument.
   Your answer: ___
8. Your medical test results came back and everything is normal.
   Your answer: ___
9. The rent is finally paid and you won’t have to worry about it this month.
   Your answer: ___
10. You accidentally sent a message to the wrong person, but luckily it wasn’t anything embarrassing.
    Your answer: ___

Suggested Answers 🔑

1. It’s such a weight off my shoulders.
2. That was close.
3. What a relief.
4. That’s a load off my mind.
5. Crisis averted.
6. I dodged a bullet.
7. It’s all good.
8. I can breathe easy.
9. That’s one less thing to worry about.
10. Thank heavens it wasn’t nothing embarrassing.

We hope you found this post helpful! Next time you dodge a bullet or experience a crisis averted, you’ll have just the right words to express that feeling of relief. Got questions or want to share your own examples? Drop them in the comments — we’d love to hear from you! And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss more language tips and expressions like these. 😉