pacifying 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress a pacifying treat of milk and cookies

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2
as in appeasing
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility the referee adopted a pacifying tone to try to calm everyone down

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pacifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pacify
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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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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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
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
  1. relaxing
  2. soothing
  3. appeasing
  4. subduing
  5. comforting
  6. conciliatory
  7. conquering
  8. calming
Adjective
  • Optics expert, Jase Parnell-Brookes, gave them four stars in their full Canon 18x50 binoculars review for enabling a relaxing and impressive session of stargazing.
    — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 20 July 2026
  • Skip visually abrasive color palettes that don’t feel calming or relaxing.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 20 July 2026
Definition of relaxing
Adjective
  • Probiotics balance the scalp biome, biotin is a hero hair growth ingredient, salicylic acid helps exfoliate away oil and dead skin, hyaluronic acid invites moisture, and a range of botanical antioxidants offer a soothing effect.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 15 July 2026
  • The shed had the most spacious of the three bathrooms; there was one other en suite and another hall bath, all of which had a modern and minimalist aesthetic that felt clean and soothing.
    — Dana Kravis, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Definition of soothing
Verb
  • But for most Republican members of Congress, appeasing Trump remains key to primary and electoral success.
    — SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
  • There’s been potential discrepancies and a few ballots the machines have declined, but the board has unanimously voted to just make duplicates of those ballots with the same result, appeasing the tabulators.
    — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8 July 2026
Definition of appeasing
Verb
  • Rome — The death of a Moroccan man in police custody has sparked protests – some violent – in the northern city of Bologna after video of the incident showing officers forcefully subduing the man circulated online.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
Definition of subduing
Adjective
  • Dishes range from savory and comforting, like the locro quiteño soup made with chola potatoes and topped with crunchy chulpi corn, to bright and refreshing, like the peanutty ceviche popular in the coastal Manabí Province.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • The comforting story, that AI will change everyone's job but yours, is the most dangerous thing a manager can believe right now.
    — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of comforting
Adjective
  • Trump himself seemed to strike a more conciliatory tone when returning from the summit.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Trump reverses on housing bill Republican senators were eager for a conciliatory meeting with the president after escalating tensions in recent weeks.
    — Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of conciliatory
Verb
  • And the Cowboy is conquering the West since it’s made with cheese sauce, onion strings, El Gallo BBQ sauce and miso ranch.
    — Richard Guzman, Daily News, 13 July 2026
  • After not allowing any home runs in back-to-back starts against the Colorado Rockies, even conquering Coors Field’s hitter-friendly park, Imanaga surrendered three in Wednesday’s Game 2 win over the New York Mets.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Definition of conquering
Adjective
  • Besides providing access to a range of suburban adopters with big backyards, the ranch will offer a calming and spacious environment, especially for dogs more than 40 pounds, according to PAWS.
    — Mick Zawislak, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
  • Featuring top notes of orange, bergamot, and lemon mixed with honeyed florals and the essence of musk, cedarwood, and sandalwood, each item leaves behind a clean, calming, slightly herbaceous scent.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 13 July 2026
Definition of calming

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Cite this Entry

“Pacifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifying. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pacifying for Spanish Speakers

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