| Main Entry: | pacify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make peaceful; appease |
Synonyms: |
allay, ameliorate, assuage, bury the hatchet, butter up, calm, chasten, compose, con, conciliate, cool, dulcify, fix up, grease, kiss and make up, lay back, lull, make peace, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacificate, placate, propitiate, put the lid on, qualify, quell, quiet, relieve, repress, silence, smooth over, soft-pedal, soften, soothe, square, still, stroke, subdue, sweeten, take the edge off, tame, temper, tranquilize |
Antonyms: |
agitate, incite, irritate, upset |
| Main Entry: | allay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reduce something, usually a pain or a problem |
Synonyms: |
abate, alleviate, assuage, calm, compose, cool out, decrease, ease, lessen, lighten, make nice, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, play up to, pour oil on, quiet, square, take the bite out, take the sting out |
Antonyms: |
intensify, provoke, stir, worsen |
| Main Entry: | alleviate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | relieve; lessen |
Synonyms: |
allay, assuage, ease, lighten, mitigate, mollify, pacify, pour oil on, soft-pedal, take the bite out, take the edge off, take the sting out |
Antonyms: |
aggravate, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify |
| Main Entry: | assuage |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | soothe, relieve |
Synonyms: |
allay, alleviate, appease, calm, compose, conciliate, cool*, ease, fill, lessen, lighten, lull, make nice, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, palliate, placate, pour oil on, propitiate, quench, quiet, sate, satisfy, soften, still, surfeit, sweeten, take the edge off, take the sting out, temper, tranquilize |
Antonyms: |
exacerbate, upset |
| Main Entry: | calm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make composed, quiet |
Synonyms: |
allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, balm, becalm, compose, cool, cool it, cool out, hush, lay back, lull, mitigate, mollify, pacify, placate, quiet, quieten, relax, relieve, sedate, settle, simmer down, soft-pedal, soothe, steady, still, stroke, take it easy, take the edge off, tranquilize |
Antonyms: |
agitate, anger, disquiet, distract, excite, inflame, irritate, outrage, rouse, ruffle, worry |
| Main Entry: | compose |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | calm, bring under control |
Synonyms: |
adjust, allay, appease, arrange, assuage, balm, becalm, check, collect, comfort, console, contain, control, cool, ease, ease up, hold in, lessen, let up, lull, mitigate, moderate, modulate, pacify, placate, quell, quiet, re-collect, reconcile, regulate, rein, relax, repress, resolve, restrain, settle, simmer down, slacken, smother, soften, solace, soothe, still, suppress, temper, tranquilize, tune down |
| Notes: | compose is preferred when the parts of the whole being assembled are regarded as nonconcrete and more general; when the parts are concrete and specific, then constitute is more appropriate, and then there is comprise, which can mean 'comprehending or encompassing certain parts' |
Antonyms: |
agitate, anger, arouse, distress, excite, upset |
| Main Entry: | defuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disarm; smooth over |
Synonyms: |
alleviate, cripple, deactivate, demilitarize, diminish, disable, lessen, moderate, mollify, pacify, pad, restrain, soften, soothe, subdue, weaken |
| Main Entry: | disarm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | render defenseless |
Synonyms: |
conciliate, cripple, deactivate, debilitate, deescalate, demilitarize, demobilize, disable, disband, disqualify, incapacitate, invalidate, neutralize, occupy, pacify, paralyze, prostrate, skin, strip, subdue, subjugate, unarm, weaken |
Antonyms: |
arm |
| Main Entry: | ease |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | alleviate, help |
Synonyms: |
abate, aid, allay, ameliorate, anesthetize, appease, assist, assuage, attend to, calm, cheer, clear the way, comfort, cure, disburden, disengage, doctor, expedite, facilitate, forward, free, further, improve, lessen, let up on, lift, lighten, make easier, meliorate, mitigate, moderate, mollify, nurse, open the door, pacify, palliate, promote, quiet, relax, release, relent, relieve, run interference for, simplify, slacken, smooth, soften, soothe, speed, speed up, still, tranquilize, untighten |
Antonyms: |
annoy, increase, irritate, perplex, vex, worsen |
| Main Entry: | lull |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | calm, ease off |
Synonyms: |
abate, allay, balm, becalm, cease, chill out, compose, cool off, cool*, decrease, die down, diminish, dwindle, ebb, fall, hush, lay back, let up, lullaby, moderate, pacify, put a lid on, qualify, quell, quiet, quiet down, settle, slacken, soft-pedal, soothe, still, stroke, subdue, subside, take it easy, take the edge, take the sting out, temper, tranquilize, wane |
Antonyms: |
energize, excite |