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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gentling
Verb
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Parents are questioning whether four years and six figures are worth it, especially as campuses are increasingly overtaken by chaos, radical activism, and administrators more concerned with appeasing ideological mobs than educating students.—
Riley Gaines OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 Jan. 2026 -
And yet, beneath the veil of politeness, there was rhetoric from the US president that suggests his default position in negotiations is still to pressure Kyiv, while appeasing Moscow.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN Money,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The 39-year-old Nigerian-British actress hit the first official awards show of the season, donning a canary yellow gown and caressing her bump as the cameras flashed.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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In one instance, Alix leans in to whisper something in his ear while caressing his back.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Each of the eight luxurious scents is packed with softening coconut oil and shea butter.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
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Fischer especially recommends making sound-softening updates in rooms with higher ceilings, open layouts, and hardwood flooring, all of which can amplify echo and reverb.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Winter calls for comforting warm desserts like good old fashioned apple crisp with a crunchy topping.—
Mary Ann Esposito,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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The blanket is crafted with 100 percent cotton fabric that provides a plush, buttery-soft, and comforting feel.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the black-and-white video, MGK could be seen holding his baby daughter's hand, stroking her fingers.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
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At one point Eliot entered the TV room and found Abby with her head on Claire’s lap, Claire stroking her hair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Hu Nguyen though believes the city also needs to invest in infrastructures such as putting in more speed bumps and other traffic calming devices such as speed tables.—
Andrea Nakano,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
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Klopp, now fully aware of the sensitivities, allowed Mane to unload before calming the situation.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sprinkle the salt mixture all over the turkey, including inside the cavity, patting to adhere and nudging some into the crevices.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Nov. 2025
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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
Verb
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In prior administrations, the division has moved quickly to open and publicly announce such investigations, not only to reflect federal jurisdiction over potential civil rights violations but also in hopes of soothing community angst that sometimes accompanies shootings involving law enforcement.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Fortune,
14 Jan. 2026
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But in these songs, that familiar palette of soothing guitar and fiddle clashes with graphic lyrics.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
14 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Gentling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gentling. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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