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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pacify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pacify are appease, conciliate, mollify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

Where would appease be a reasonable alternative to pacify?

The words appease and pacify can be used in similar contexts, but appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

When is conciliate a more appropriate choice than pacify?

The meanings of conciliate and pacify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

When could mollify be used to replace pacify?

The words mollify and pacify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

When might placate be a better fit than pacify?

In some situations, the words placate and pacify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

When is it sensible to use propitiate instead of pacify?

Although the words propitiate and pacify have much in common, propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

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 pacify Not every unhappy person can be completely pacified, but reaching out to offer to listen can certainly be a valuable step in reducing negative noise. Dee Blohm, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 It was deployed to pacify the stronghold of the Zetas cartel, but operated indiscriminately and with impunity. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025 On this subject, your husband is more interested in pacifying his buddy than what your feelings about it may be. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025 The Globetrotters paid me some extra money to keep him pacified with his singing. David Aldridge, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pacify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacify
Verb
  • That probably means someone who can appease enough of the traditionalists, enough of the progressives, and a solid majority of the moderates.
    Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
  • Google has previously explored selling its ad exchange to appease European antitrust regulators, Reuters reported in September.
    David Shepardson and Jody Godoy, USA Today, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • Nichols fled after being pulled from his car and was later subdued and struck repeatedly with fists, boots, a Taser and a baton.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
  • Hundreds of Ghor are killed, stormtroopers patrol the streets, and KX-series security droids are unleashed like hulking monsters, subduing random humans to death.
    Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • And, of course, delve deeper into The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change for additional frameworks to conquer all that niceness when the book becomes available in October 2025.
    Simone E. Morris, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • At various times in its long history, the region has either been coveted, conquered or controlled by the Greeks, the Roman Byzantines, the Genoese, the Mongols, Ottomans, Russians, Ukrainians, and even by the Germans for a brief period during World War II.
    Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Now, Huang is dominating the romance genre herself, even solidifying a place on the Top 5 bestselling BookTok authors with over 1.47 million copies sold in 2024, according to Forbes.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • The Blues dominated Game 4 in a 5-1 home victory Sunday with five different players finding the net: Jake Neighbours, Tyler Tucker, Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Robert Thomas.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Court documents allege Hemphill subjected his victims to hours-long abuse, raping them under the threat of torture — often with electricity through the cattle prods and shock collars.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Spelunking is not exactly a go-to subject for a musical.
    Christian Lewis, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Even before the latest crackdown, Florida Decides Healthcare and every other Florida initiative campaign had to overcome immense hurdles.
    Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2025
  • The situation can be complicated further when a patient is navigating an unfamiliar medical system, has to overcome a language barrier, or takes a flight soon after an operation.
    Parizaad Khan Sethi, Allure, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • His last loss came in January 2019, when Geoff Neal defeated him via decision.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Perhaps their most memorable face-off came in 2021, when Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers famously defeated Patrick and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
    Bailey Richards, People.com, 3 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pacify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacify. Accessed 15 May. 2025.

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