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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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

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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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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
Verb
Such tactics have never succeeded in pacifying Iranian society for long. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 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
  • Expansive exterior decks and a generous flybridge create space for entertaining, relaxing, or even exercising in the great outdoors.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Tushy Fresh Dual-Nozzle Bidet Offering easy installation, this bidet with a no-frills interface has some relaxing perks (including a heated water option) without too many extra knobs and levers.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of relaxing
Adjective
  • For sensitive or dry underarms, the deodorant also uses a soothing blend of shea butter, spirulina, and niacinamide to keep pits comfortable all day long.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
  • On the upside, the villas are one of the more soothing spots for a mild hangover.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of soothing
Verb
  • The bill now also includes a compromise on stablecoin yield aimed at appeasing banking interests by directing the Treasury secretary to restrict rewards if deposit flight from community banks occurs on a substantial scale.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of appeasing
Verb
  • The school's head teacher, Krzysztof Ochmanski, was injured while subduing the teenager, officials said.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The handful of Israeli passengers grappled with the copilot for several minutes before subduing him and binding his hands with the cord from a set of headphones.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of subduing
Adjective
  • The meals here strike a strong balance between comforting and elevated, and all ingredients are locally sourced.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In a city where change is constant — especially in the food and beverage scene — Charlotte’s classic restaurants are among the most beloved places to gather with family and friends or stop in for a comforting bite to eat.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of comforting
Adjective
  • Adams, usually so conciliatory, plainly voices her disgust with the unethical Mexican clinic which gave McQueen false hope, and side-eyes his late-in-life turn to Christianity.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For her part, the polarizing Molokoane — who has faced calls for her resignation from industry bodies — struck a conciliatory tone in Durban.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of conciliatory
Verb
  • Marsh argued conquering the global market means knowing differences between international markets.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Before conquering Hollywood, Ali played Division I basketball (standing at six feet four) and released rap albums under the name Prince Ali.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of conquering
Adjective
  • There’s nothing more calming than watching people try to redo their houses into the home of their dreams.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Warm nutmeg milk Milk delivers tryptophan and calcium, while a pinch of nutmeg brings mild calming compounds.
    — Patsy Anthony, Vogue, 19 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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