allay

Synonym Chooser

How is the word allay different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of allay are alleviate, assuage, lighten, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When is it sensible to use alleviate instead of allay?

The synonyms alleviate and allay are sometimes interchangeable, but alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

Where would assuage be a reasonable alternative to allay?

Although the words assuage and allay have much in common, assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When is lighten a more appropriate choice than allay?

In some situations, the words lighten and allay are roughly equivalent. However, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When could mitigate be used to replace allay?

While in some cases nearly identical to allay, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

When would relieve be a good substitute for allay?

The words relieve and allay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of allay Mercedes-Benz wants to allay these concerns by using more efficient solid-state battery technology that will increase range without making its already heavy EVs even heavier. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025 But that did little to allay the concerns of Dermish and his neighbors, who continued to see flares light up the sky and to smell gas wafting over the community. ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 Perhaps Kennedy’s fondness for fries will allay worries that they’ll be banned this time around. Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2025 This will be a major worry for the WHSmith board, which will try and allay any investor fears via a further update at its preliminary results announcement scheduled for November 12. Kevin Rozario, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for allay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allay
Verb
  • In deeply unequal ways, the new era of networked industrialization and electrification began to alleviate the conditions of scarcity that had rendered many communities so vulnerable to the climatic disruptions of the LIA.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Many analysts had speculated Milei would, once the election was out of the way, tilt toward a floating currency — alleviating pressure on the nation’s trade position.
    Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Lower policy rates relieve pressure on floating-rate borrowers and can compress credit spreads before earnings estimates move.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Beijing would be relieved that the United States is no longer muddying and in fact strengthening its nonsupport for independence.
    STEPHEN WERTHEIM, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When it was announced that Girls collaborators Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan (both Jewish) had been hired as showrunners for Season 2, the news brought some hope that Konner’s perspective in particular would help to make these characters lovable.
    Judy Berman, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Cunha helped earn his start by reporting to Carrington a day before scheduled last week after returning from Japan with Brazil.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The cool temperature may also soothe sore gums.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Aloe vera instantly soothes dryness, while jojoba, camellia, and almond oils keep your lips plush, soft, and supported.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Keep in mind that this spike and subsequent crash can be mitigated by pairing fruit juice with high-protein, high-fiber foods, which slow glucose release into the bloodstream, resulting in more stable blood sugar levels.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 28 Oct. 2025
  • But the United States can mitigate the risk by consistently encouraging vigilance about China’s threat to Taiwan.
    STEPHEN WERTHEIM, Foreign Affairs, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Liverpool eased their Champions League jitters by thrashing Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday; now for the Premier League.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • But for consumers, higher wages on paper do not appear to have eased the sting of rising prices, according to several recent surveys.
    Steve Kopack, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Allay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allay. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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