mollifying 1 of 2

adjective

as in conciliatory
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility a future son-in-law using mollifying flattery to overcome a bad first impression

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mollifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mollify
1
as in appeasing
to lessen the anger or agitation of an apology would probably mollify your friend

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in alleviating
to make more bearable or less severe a friendly gesture that did a lot to mollify their suspicions about the new neighbor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mollifying
Verb
Netflix’s decision back then was in part aimed at mollifying shareholders, who at the time were flipping out over a slowdown in subscriber growth. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 1 July 2026 The first generation of parents to have resorted, at least occasionally, to mollifying their children by putting digital screens in their hands has now seen those kids grow up. — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026 By many accounts retailers were pleased with their level of business Thanksgiving Day through Saturday, mollifying some concerns that higher prices and economic uncertainties would put a big dent in holiday spending. — David Moin, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollifying
  1. conciliatory
  2. appeasing
  3. alleviating
  4. soothing
  5. relieving
  6. comforting
  7. helping
  8. benevolent
Adjective
  • Trump himself seemed to strike a more conciliatory tone when returning from the summit.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Trump reverses on housing bill Republican senators were eager for a conciliatory meeting with the president after escalating tensions in recent weeks.
    — Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of conciliatory
Verb
  • There’s been potential discrepancies and a few ballots the machines have declined, but the board has unanimously voted to just make duplicates of those ballots with the same result, appeasing the tabulators.
    — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8 July 2026
  • Tauruses usually follow the rules and do what is suggested to thrive and prosper because appeasing others is easier than arguing.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of appeasing
Verb
  • Vaginal suppositories are also often prescribed for alleviating pelvic pain.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • The owner and lessee will bear the responsibility of clearing the debris and alleviating some of the effects of the fire and its aftermath, Moore said, including looking for ways to mitigate debris flowing out of the warehouse, and the smell emitted by the rotting food.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of alleviating
Adjective
  • That a series finally found some new themes to focus on is as much a soothing break as all the B-roll of ocean waves and clapboard houses.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • My nearly two-hour Manoa Mist treatment included a full-body sugar exfoliation and soothing-but-therapeutic lomi lomi massage, performed by a therapist who spent years in the medical field and really knew her stuff.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2026
Definition of soothing
Verb
  • The salicylic acid helps gently remove flakes while relieving any irritation and itchy feelings.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Best July 4th Bose Headphone Deal Bose QuietComfort The Bose QuietComfort Headphones claim absolute silence by fusing industry-leading active noise cancellation mechanics with plush, pressure-relieving over-ear cushions.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 July 2026
Definition of relieving
Adjective
  • Dishes range from savory and comforting, like the locro quiteño soup made with chola potatoes and topped with crunchy chulpi corn, to bright and refreshing, like the peanutty ceviche popular in the coastal Manabí Province.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • The comforting story, that AI will change everyone's job but yours, is the most dangerous thing a manager can believe right now.
    — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of comforting
Verb
  • It’s celebrated on July 14 because that’s the day Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison in 1789, helping spark the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy and sent King Louis XVI and his queen Marie-Antoinette to the guillotine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • Edith Newsome, 5th Ward, helping some residents, primarily seniors and people with disabilities, qualify for a rebate on their water bill, is a way to provide them with more disposable income.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of helping
Adjective
  • Dorothea centers on a Sacramento woman (Davis) who ran a boarding house for the less fortunate in the 1980s, but her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 July 2026
  • That would be intolerable in any other setting – not because every voter or marcher is admirable, but because constitutional rights are not based on a government employee’s benevolent opinion.
    — George A. Mocsary, The Conversation, 7 July 2026
Definition of benevolent

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Cite this Entry

“Mollifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mollifying. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mollifying

Nglish: Translation of mollifying for Spanish Speakers

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