as in tamed
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1
as in appeased
to lessen the anger or agitation of
employees soon learned that their hot-tempered boss needed to be gentled several times a day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in caressed
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
soothingly gentled his cat's head as she was being treated by the vet
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in softened
to lessen the shock of
adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentled
Verb
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Countries such as Saudi Arabia once wondered whether Tehran could be appeased and contained.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2026 -
But that hasn’t appeased protesters at demonstrations throughout Los Angeles County.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a video shared by the Broncos from the unveiling, Smith is seen carefully caressed the statue of her son's face just after the curtain drops.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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In one photo, the couple posed on the beach while Wyatt caressed her growing baby bump.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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No one would ever mistake border czar Tom Homan as a softie, but his replacement of Greg Bovino softened the look of Washington’s footprint there, giving way to a drawdown of force.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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Add white and light green parts of scallions to skillet; cook over medium, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Young calmed himself enough to live up to the lofty billing.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Trump’s assurance of safe passage of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz calmed market jitters initially, though shares in Dubai and Abu Dhabi opened sharply down after markets resumed trading for the first time since the war began.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sullivan patted Hafley on the arm.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
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His dad patted Joe’s shoulder again.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But the Islamic terrorist plotline is, for all its provocative setup, rather tame.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
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Other Fed policymakers worried that surging wages and tame inflation couldn’t coexist and that higher prices were coming.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Miscommunications soothed with a kiss (and maybe even an actually good proposal)!—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
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That’s thanks to an ingredient list stacked with hydrating glycerin and squalane, plus ceramides and cholesterol that, together, lock moisture in to keep skin smooth and soothed all day long.—
Sarah Felbin,
Allure,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Influenced by her Indian heritage, Japanese craft philosophy, and the traditions of Shetland knitting, her work is highly distinctive and also wholly wearable; David and I stroked scarves, asymmetric wraps, and sweaters with yearning.—
Sarah Moss,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s allies have always stroked his ego to get their way.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
11 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gentled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentled. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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