1
as in appeasing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in caressing
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 softening
to lessen the shock of
adding a bit of sugar to the salsa will gentle the hot spiciness of the chili peppers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentling
Verb
-
Then imagine a Congress seated in January 2027 with even more lawmakers guaranteed reelection and concerned mainly with appeasing their party’s activist base.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025 -
Nevertheless, Ed still idolized Augusta and would grow to become obsessed with appeasing her, according to Biography.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Young Pope star was seen caressing Coan’s back and whispering in her ear.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The singer was spotted in pictures shared to social media, gently caressing the baby bump of his romantic partner.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
-
The seasonal shift to cheaper winter-blend gasoline could help offset cost increases related to the refinery fire, softening the impact for drivers.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In what could be another sign of a softening labor market, October layoffs jumped 175% from a year ago to 153,074, the highest level since 2003, Challenger, Gray & Christmas said.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Pumpkin Pie Trader Joe’s is offering their own version of a mouthwatering pumpkin pie, comforting pumpkin custard filled with sweet and spicy flavors.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Eating your greens is easy with this creamy, cheesy, comforting recipe.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sometimes just stroking the ball to the other field, as Andres Gimenez did to drive in a run, or rolling one through the hole as Addison Barger did for an RBI in that inning, works just as well.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
-
One game, especially one so dominated by the defense, certainly isn’t enough to decide whether this is even an issue, but noted QB whisperer O’Connell has to be stroking his chin.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Known for its fragrant purple blooms, lavender is a popular perennial herb that is beloved for its calming scent and beauty.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Cincinnati took calls on Hendrickson before the year began and was looking for a first-round pick before eventually calming things down by upping the edge-rusher's 2025 salary to $29 million.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Taken together, the answers provided a sort of battle-damage assessment of the current moment, the kind undertaken while everyone is still patting themselves to figure out which parts survived the explosion intact.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
30 Oct. 2025
-
That’s cute, today’s masters of the universe will chuckle while patting your head.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 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
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.
Cite this Entry
“Gentling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentling. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share