1
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress
a pacifying treat of milk and cookies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in appeasing
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility
the referee adopted a pacifying tone to try to calm everyone down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in comforting
to lessen the anger or agitation of
the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in subduing
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacifying
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Rather than unifying and pacifying a populace, this kind of media encouraged idiosyncratic, extreme views.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 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
Verb
That transformed the industry by giving it a clear American base — and by pacifying agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission that had been, under Biden, openly hostile.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Rather than unifying and pacifying a populace, this kind of media encouraged idiosyncratic, extreme views.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifying
Adjective
-
This is supposed to be a relaxing hobby!—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This left zero time for serendipity — or just plain relaxing.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged discussions between the two governments last week and pledged a series of reforms aimed at appeasing Washington, a concession that indicated both the urgency of the domestic crisis and the vulnerability of the regime.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
-
But then appeasing tradition and upending it both at once, which certainly is the pragmatic philosophy of Lyric, always is a tricky matter.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mario himself is played mostly straight by Pratt, subduing the exaggerated Italian accent from the games, while retaining the underdog aspect of a blue collar guy burdened with greater purpose.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
-
There, the pioneers—practical, inventive, restless, exuberant white men—clashed with Indigenous peoples, subduing them and a wilderness filled with wild animals and abundant natural resources.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The final stretch, though, was less soothing as Plourde nudged ahead to stay.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The district’s public message has been conciliatory.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, the wealthy monarchy of Qatar, which sits on some of the world’s biggest natural gas reserves and maintains a vast and fragile infrastructure to extract it, has taken a much more conciliatory position, calling for immediate de-escalation and a quick return to business.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Basically, look for a design that looks like as though was made for walking in the Mediterranean, but also for conquering the city streets.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
9 Apr. 2026
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After conquering the internet underground, perhaps Yeat believes that stadium status is all that’s left.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Such a model would probably be a good edition to a home or office, so buyers can show off their wheels without subjecting viewers to a garage.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2026
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Portfolios of private credit facilities are often concentrated, subjecting lenders like CalPERS to systemic risk.—
Marc Joffe,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Certain low-grade forms of depression can be easy to embrace, as familiar and comforting as an old friend.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The biscuit topping makes this chicken pot pie extra comforting and satisfying.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pacifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifying. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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