assuage

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2
as in to satisfy
to put a complete end to (a physical need or desire) that huge meal certainly assuaged my hunger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of assuage are allay, alleviate, lighten, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When might allay be a better fit than assuage?

While the synonyms allay and assuage are close in meaning, allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When is it sensible to use alleviate instead of assuage?

Although the words alleviate and assuage have much in common, alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

When could lighten be used to replace assuage?

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

good news would lighten our worries

In what contexts can mitigate take the place of assuage?

The meanings of mitigate and assuage largely overlap; however, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

Where would relieve be a reasonable alternative to assuage?

While in some cases nearly identical to assuage, 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 assuage The idea is to allow citizens to assuage the burden of Taiwan’s overstretched emergency responders, which number just 180,000 for 24 million people, or one for every 128 citizens. Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025 Alvidrez and Councilwoman Jamie Torres said the new requirements don’t assuage their concerns about the company. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025 This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats. Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025 Though he was initially troubled to find his image being used on Sora 2, the implementation of new guardrails around consent seem to have assuaged his concerns. Katie Campione, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for assuage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assuage
Verb
  • Eileen Fagen, owner of The Fitness Factory of Charlotte, says strength training along with cardio can alleviate some symptoms related to perimenopause.
    Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The 34-year-old slugger would be a massive offensive upgrade to Casas, while also alleviating his defensive downside by playing first base.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • And the compressed timeframe of the story ticks down to a hugely satisfying climactic encounter in the mountains.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Each is ready in minutes, ideal for a filling lunch or a quick, satisfying snack.
    Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The goal is to appease your inner child, rest, and enjoy the season’s joy in the comfort of your home.
    Essence, Essence, 4 Nov. 2025
  • In fact, several of the investigators believed the shooting was intentional, and that the Biden administration had actually soft-pedaled the investigation’s findings to appease Israel.
    Scott Griffen, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Earlier this year the Department of Transportation offered bonuses to retirement aged controllers to stay on the job longer to help relieve the existing shortage, but the shutdown seems to be working against that effort.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • This past weekend, the FAA reported staffing shortages at dozens of facilities, prompting the agency to slow air traffic to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who did show up to work.
    Joel Rose, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • For example, Smith said, in a major city during a holiday weekend, Prepared’s technology helped reduce the number of emergency calls operators had to handle by by 33% because AI was able to deal with non-critical calls like noise complaints.
    Julie Coleman, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Han says the funds raised through the Hong Kong listing will help the robotaxi firm continue to spend on R&D and deployment.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Why not start things off by repainting the living room—there are many shades that designers absolutely love for their soothing factor.
    Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Entering a bedroom that’s painted a light blue color feels soothing and relaxing; a bathroom that’s a soft shade of green is pleasant to bathe in.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • To mitigate the impact, Fields said the company is using a mix of price adjustments, supply chain diversification, and international expansion.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
  • As inflation concerns dominated last year’s election, polling showed that mitigating climate change, one of the governor’s signature issues, was not a top issue among voters.
    Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Ending the government shutdown would ease the situation for controllers, but the FAA said the flight cuts will remain in place until their safety data improves.
    JOSH FUNK, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2025
  • This spray aims to prevent breakage and ease tension during the braid takedown process by adding softness so hair can easily slide through knots and detangle much faster.
    Caché McClay, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Assuage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assuage. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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