assuage

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verb

Definition of ASSUAGE

1

to make more bearable or less severe <a mother cooing to her toddler and assuaging his fear of the dark>

Synonyms allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe

Related Words abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper; cure, heal, remedy; amend, correct, emend, fix, mend, rectify, reform, repair; ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine

Near Antonyms harm, hurt, impair, injure; heighten, intensify, sharpen

Antonyms aggravate, exacerbate

2

to put a complete end to (a physical need or desire) <that huge meal certainly assuaged my hunger>

Synonyms assuage, quench, sate, satiate, slake

Related Words cater (to), gratify, humor, indulge; alleviate, lighten, relieve; cloy, saturate, surfeit

Near Antonyms arouse, excite, pique, stimulate; tantalize, tease

3

to lessen the anger or agitation of <nothing would assuage the angry parent except the prompt dismissal of the teacher who had used corporal punishment without authorization>

Synonyms appease, assuage, conciliate, disarm, gentle, mollify, placate, propitiate

Related Words calm, comfort, console, content, hush, quiet, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize); endear (to), ingratiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please; adulate, blarney, flatter, overpraise, soft-soap; quench, sate, satiate, satisfy; cater (to), humor, indulge; blandish, cajole, coax, sweet-talk, wheedle; baby, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil; dulcify, sweeten

Near Antonyms aggravate, annoy, antagonize, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, cross, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pique, put out, rankle, rile, roil, ruffle, vex; provoke, rouse; harass, harry, persecute, pester; agitate, discomfort, distress, disturb, fret, perturb, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, offend, slight

Antonyms anger, enrage, incense, inflame (also enflame), infuriate, ire, madden, outrage