pacifying

1 tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress a pacifying treat of milk and cookies Synonyms calming, comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, soothing, quieting, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing)Related Words hypnotic, opiate; analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, deadening, depressant, numbing; antianxiety, antidepressant, antidepression, antistressNear Antonyms painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, unsettling, worrisome; energizing, invigorating, stimulant, stimulating; aggravating, annoying, bothersome, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, grating, harassing, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, troublesome, vexatious, vexing

2 tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility the referee adopted a pacifying tone to try to calm everyone down Synonyms appeasing, conciliating, conciliatory, disarming, mollifying, pacific, peacemaking, placating, placatory, propitiatoryRelated Words endearing, ingratiating, winning, winsome; peaceable, peaceful; nonbelligerent, unaggressive, unassertive; calming, comforting, lulling, quieting, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing); obliging, satisfying; affable, agreeable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, genial, gentle, good-natured, good-tempered, kind, kindly; passive, submissive, surrendering, yieldingNear Antonyms abrasive, aggravating, annoying, chafing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, inflammatory, irksome, irritating, maddening, nagging, nettlesome, nettling, offensive, provocative, provoking, rankling, riling, vexing; engaging, incensing, infuriating, maddening; antagonistic, antipathetic, hostile, inhospitable, inimical, unfriendly, unsympathetic; aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assertive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, confrontational, contentious, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent; martial, militant, militaristic, military, warlikeAntonyms antagonizing