soothe

American  

[sooth] / suð /

verb (used with object)

soothed, soothing

1. to tranquilize or calm (a person or their emotions); relieve, comfort, or refresh.

   soothing someone's anger;

   to soothe someone with a hot drink.

   Antonyms:

   roil, upset

2. to mitigate, assuage, or allay, as pain, sorrow, or doubt.

   to soothe sunburned skin.

   Synonyms:

   mollify, appease, alleviate

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verb (used without object)

soothed, soothing

1. to exert a calming influence; bring tranquility, ease, or comfort.

   a soft-spoken poem that soothes like a lullaby.

soothe British  

/ suːð /

verb

1. (tr) to make calm or tranquil

2. (tr) to relieve or assuage (pain, longing, etc)

3. (intr) to bring tranquillity or relief

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Related Words

See comfort, allay.

Other Word Forms

• self-soothed adjective
• soother noun
• unsoothed adjective

Etymology

Origin of soothe

First recorded before 950; Middle English sothen “to bear witness, confirm, verify,” Old English sōthian “to prove true”; the Modern English sense shift “to verify” becomes “to support (a person's statement),” then “to encourage,” and finally “to calm”; sooth

Compare meaning

How does soothe compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sooth vs. soothe

Example Sentences

Some are mentally soothed by repeating specific words or phrases, a phenomenon known as echolalia, which can be misinterpreted by someone unfamiliar with the trait as mocking or uncooperative.

From Los Angeles Times

Asian equities and government bonds rose on Wednesday as hopes for a quick end to the Middle East conflict soothed concerns over elevated inflationary pressures driven by likely higher-for-longer oil prices.

From The Wall Street Journal

By the time the last legendary grandparent had held him and loved him as a grandson, Jason’s heartbreak felt soothed.

From Literature

But the sensation they were feeling—that chafing, persistent yearning for something to soothe their weary soul—was often confused with dehydration.

From Literature

The moves could soothe traders’ concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• allay
• alleviate
• appease
• assuage
• cool
• mitigate
• mollify
• pacify
• relieve
• soften