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
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Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged discussions between the two governments last week and pledged a series of reforms aimed at appeasing Washington, a concession that indicated both the urgency of the domestic crisis and the vulnerability of the regime.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026 -
But then appeasing tradition and upending it both at once, which certainly is the pragmatic philosophy of Lyric, always is a tricky matter.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The basis of the important therapy stems from studies showing that holding and caressing an animal provides benefits such as relaxation, lower blood pressure, decreasing anxiety, and increasing positivity, according to the news release.—
Dawn Giangiulio,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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Williams knows how to humanize this bare-bones vocabulary, minutely adjusting the voicing of a chord or caressing the last of a set of recurring motifs with a regretful ritardando.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While even beauty sales are softening, that impulse hasn’t disappeared.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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They are best suited for improving skin texture, softening fine lines and enhancing product absorption, allowing serums and treatments to penetrate more effectively.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From sheet pan nachos, comforting soups, and bright pastas there's for every taste bud on a time crunch.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
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From orphans to widows, thousands of Armenians have found nourishment from this community protagonist, who is still comforting children who habitually ration their birthday cake.—
Marlise Kast-Myers,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Elton John doing a handstand on his keyboard, Roger Daltrey stroking a microphone, Ian Anderson making the flute somehow look cool — his pictures became a means of connection for fans.—
David Di Sabatino,
SPIN,
3 Apr. 2026
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At first, Hanke thought Miyabi was just stroking his ego.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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All three releases belong to a rapidly expanding category of interactive entertainment that’s defined less by compelling characters and storylines than the calming effect of creating and organizing a functional system.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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Much of the rally has been due to expectations for calming tensions in the war and a resumption of the full flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Stan Choe,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Hall of Fame forward and all-time franchise leader in nearly every major statistical category walked into the arena with Timberwolves co-owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez after player introductions, receiving a roar from the crowd and patting his heart with his hand.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Will foundations stop patting themselves on the back for diversity pledges and start funding the Black innovation ecosystem at scale?—
Felecia Hatcher,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Part of the Nordic ESS Group collection of hotels, Rox meshes soothing Scandinavian minimalism with a welcome moodiness.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
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Supplements made with arnica have excellent reputations for relieving arthritis pain, soothing sore muscles and accelerating healing for bruises and sprains.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Gentling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentling. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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