1
as in to appease
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacify
Rather than unifying and pacifying a populace, this kind of media encouraged idiosyncratic, extreme views.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2025
Her younger sister, meanwhile, pacifies their father with silence.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
And without the pacifying force of the Dalai Lama, there will be fewer guardrails to prevent Sino-Tibetan disputes from sliding into intractable ethnic conflict.
—Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Harold Ross, the magazine’s founder, dispatched the editor Katharine Angell to pacify her.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2025
Her younger sister, meanwhile, pacifies their father with silence.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
And without the pacifying force of the Dalai Lama, there will be fewer guardrails to prevent Sino-Tibetan disputes from sliding into intractable ethnic conflict.
—Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Harold Ross, the magazine’s founder, dispatched the editor Katharine Angell to pacify her.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacify
Verb
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The goal is to appease your inner child, rest, and enjoy the season’s joy in the comfort of your home.—
Essence,
Essence,
4 Nov. 2025
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In fact, several of the investigators believed the shooting was intentional, and that the Biden administration had actually soft-pedaled the investigation’s findings to appease Israel.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After a promising opening drive, Young was largely subdued in a game where the opposing defense was sold out on the run.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
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Video shared with the Herald showed Jaramillo trying to subdue Rustrian on the ground, the pair rolling around in the grass.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Trade discussions dominated those meetings, but there were signs of growing tensions over Beijing’s surging conventional and nuclear arsenal.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Bills' run-heavy offense -- which has piled up a league-high 1,292 yards in just eight games -- should dominate this one and allow Buffalo to not only win, but cover the substantial spread.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Having conquered the pop world with ease, Rosalía is now embracing difficulty.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
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Toyota may be struggling against Tesla in the global EV sweepstakes, but Hello Kitty is conquering the world.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But, yeah, part of [building Carol’s cul-de-sac] was not wanting to subject anyone else to that, [especially] any nice homeowner who would rent you their house.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
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But no actor, not even the forthright and sensitive Farrell, can survive the number of tight, sweaty closeups that cinematographer James Friend subjects him to.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pacify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacify. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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