soothe

play

verb \ ˈsüt͟h \

Definition of soothe

soothed; soothing

transitive verb

1 :to please by or as if by attention or concern :placate

2 :relieve, alleviate

soothe a cough

3 :to bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to

music soothes the soul

intransitive verb

:to bring peace, composure, or quietude

—

soother

noun

See soothe defined for English-language learners

See soothe defined for kids

Examples of soothe in a Sentence

The waiter tried to soothe the angry customer.
This cream soothes aching muscles.
Her nerves were soothed by a warm bath.
Nothing can soothe their pain.

Recent Examples of soothe from the Web

A man needs soothing while polishing off the op-ed pages.

— dwight garner, Esquire, "The Problem with Spending It When You Have It," 24 Aug. 2017
But with close friends, better to soothe concerns and help everyone feel valued.

— philip galanes, New York Times, "The Sex Partner Who Refuses to Share His Saturday Night," 17 Aug. 2017
There’s a mini disco ball, a small chandelier and Edison bulbs in cages hung from the ceiling and subdued lighting and soothing music and shelves bearing bottles of sake.

— linda bladholm, miamiherald, "Looking for authentic Asian street food? You’ll find it in Pompano Beach," 8 Aug. 2017
Baquet and Kahn have been holding information sessions with individual departments, perhaps as a way to soothe feelings.

— vanityfair.com, "The Agony and the Anxiety of The New York Times," 24 July 2017
TUE Bring a blanket/lawn chair and favorite summer read (or find one on-site), soothing music by a local DJ, light refreshments provided, 1 p.m. Tuesday, Des Moines Beach Park, 22030 Cliff Avenue S., Des Moines (253-839-0121 or kcls.org).

— madeline mckenzie, The Seattle Times, "Community calendar: festivals, fairs and more," 21 July 2017
The postgame music in the Chicago Cubs’ clubhouse following their victory that ended at 1:06 a.m. Wednesday was mellow and soothing with the knowledge that there would be little time to unwind.

— mark gonzales, chicagotribune.com, "Cubs try to complete sweeps on little rest," 19 July 2017
Inside the booties is a gel that claims to soothe hard, dry, and cracked feet, as well as improve foot odor and fungus.

— self, Glamour, "5 Women Tried Baby Foot, and the Results Were Both Disgusting and Satisfying," 3 July 2017
Universities nationwide bring dogs (and a donkey) onto campus to soothe students during finals.

— karin brulliard, Washington Post, "Therapy animals are everywhere. Proof that they help is not.," 2 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soothe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of soothe

Middle English sothen to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1617

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soothe Synonyms

Synonyms

assure, cheer, console, reassure, solace, comfort

Antonyms

distress, torment, torture, trouble

Related Words

commiserate, condole, empathize, sympathize; boost, buoy (up), elevate, lift, uplift; allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve; calm, quiet, relax, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

Near Antonyms

demoralize, discourage, dishearten; fret, upset, worry; aggravate, intensify, worsen; annoy, irk, irritate; harass, pester

SOOTHE Defined for English Language Learners

soothe

play

verb

Definition of soothe for English Language Learners

: to cause (someone) to be calmer, less angry, etc.
: to cause (a part of the body) to feel better
: to cause (pain) to go away or become less severe

SOOTHE Defined for Kids

soothe

play

verb \ ˈsüt͟h \

Definition of soothe for Students

soothed; soothing

1 :to please by praise or attention

The waiter tried to soothe the angry customer.

2 :relieve 1

Lotion will soothe your sunburn.

3 :to calm down :comfort

Papa was trying to soothe Mama, who was wheezing heavily from asthma and excitement.
—George Selden, The Cricket in Times Square

Learn More about soothe

See words that rhyme with soothe Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for soothe Spanish Central: Translation of soothe Nglish: Translation of soothe for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of soothe for Arabic speakers

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Definition of soothe

soother

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Examples of soothe in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of soothe

soothe Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

SOOTHE Defined for English Language Learners

soothe

Definition of soothe for English Language Learners

SOOTHE Defined for Kids

soothe

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