relief valve

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The previous Sunday, it unveiled an emergency lending program meant to serve as a relief valve for banks that need to raise cash.

From New York Times

There’s no doubt drug courts work, though, in the sense that many defendants use them as a relief valve to get treatment and to clear their records.

From Seattle Times

What’s needed in many areas, he said, is a “relief valve” to let flooding rivers spread out on the landscape, where the water can slow down and percolate into the ground.

From Los Angeles Times

The cap is meant to provide a relief valve to Western bans on Russian oil exports.

From Reuters

The tunnel provided a relief valve for stadium events, and to escape Interstate 5 congestion during weekend road repairs.

From Seattle Times