pacifies

verb

present tense third-person singular of pacify
1
as in appeases
to lessen the anger or agitation of the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in subdues
to bring under one's control by force of arms additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pacifies With their help, Spain pacifies China, which becomes the jewel in the Spanish imperial crown and a strategic platform for further conquest. — Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025 Her younger sister, meanwhile, pacifies their father with silence. — Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifies
  1. appeases
  2. subdues
  3. conquers
  4. dominates
  5. subjects
  6. overcomes
  7. defeats
Verb
  • The menu appeases a multitude of appetites.
    — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2026
  • The discharge petition comes as Republicans have failed to put a plan for healthcare forward that appeases all of their caucus, as a small group seeks to work across the aisle for a solution.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2025
Definition of appeases
Verb
  • In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
    — Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • El Nino also subdues the hurricane season in the Atlantic because there is so much heat in the Pacific that outcompetes the Atlantic, Berardelli added.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of subdues
Verb
  • Just one week after one powerhouse tied the other, that match has been broken as Swift once again conquers the tally.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
  • That doesn’t mean robbing Billy of his shot at prying open Homelander’s skull, but with only a symbolic solution to Trump’s authoritarian rise — love conquers all!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
Definition of conquers
Verb
  • The familiar French fashion house's signature croc dominates the bodywork, while the clean white and red colorway runs the length of the car.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 July 2026
  • Chicken dominates most protein plans, but a growing number of eaters want variety without sacrificing daily protein targets.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 9, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of dominates
Verb
  • This allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and no longer arbitrarily subjects them to traffic control measures designed for other types of vehicles.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of subjects
Verb
  • David overcomes Goliath while Odysseus defeats the cyclops Polyphemus.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Mikel Oyarzabal has four goals, so could yet challenge if Spain overcomes France in the semifinals.
    — James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of overcomes
Verb
  • David overcomes Goliath while Odysseus defeats the cyclops Polyphemus.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Costly defeats If past is prologue, Democratic insiders are right to be concerned.
    — David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
Definition of defeats

Browse Nearby Words

pacifiers
pacifies
pacifism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pacifies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifies. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pacifies

Nglish: Translation of pacifies for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All