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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 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
-
Get ready for a relaxing weekend by giving your home a thorough clean every Friday.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
All three celebs proved how versatile a quarter-zip pullover can be by throwing it on during a relaxing night at home, pairing it with sweatpants for a matching set, and dressing it up with slacks.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Nevertheless, Ed still idolized Augusta and would grow to become obsessed with appeasing her, according to Biography.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
So far, efforts at appeasing the MAGA outrage machine have only backfired.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Giants won in all kinds of encouraging ways while subduing the wild-card-leading Cubs in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The two also showed a demonstration of what a K9 takedown looks like, with Humphries acting as a target and K9 Bob subduing him.—
Richard Requena,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For an accent, consider introducing a deep blue shade to provide a soothing contrast.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The soothing, antioxidant-rich formula offers enough coverage that it can be used in lieu of a tinted moisturizer or lightweight foundation.—
Emily Orofino,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Turning to Hjulmand as his replacement seemed almost a conciliatory gesture.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Trump is famously mercurial, while Petro could become more conciliatory.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And when was conquering ever a good thing?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
-
These terrorists are going about on a jihad and conquering territories and renaming them accordingly.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This discovery cuts down on the need to retest, subjecting patients to more needle sticks.—
Beth Warren,
Nashville Tennessean,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Lucido's office said Martin also has a habitual offender, fourth-offense notice, subjecting him to life in prison if he is convicted of any of the primary felony charges, according to a release.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An online exclusive recipe, this pecan pie is every bit as rich and comforting as the classic, which is usually made with corn syrup.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
You’re drawn to treats that feel refined yet comforting, with no unnecessary fuss.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pacifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifying. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share