PALLIATE Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

palliate

verb

ˈpa-lē-ˌāt

Definition of palliate

as in to excuse

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses don't try to palliate your constant lying by claiming that everybody lies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe this medicine should palliate your cough at least a little

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 palliate Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2024 Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days. — Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024 Long hours of sitting masquerade as wellness, insecurity is palliated by snacks, and flexibility’s just another name for no time of your own. — Curbed, 4 Jan. 2023 Rhys drank heavily to palliate her burdens, and was known for tirades and other skunky behavior. — New York Times, 20 June 2022 The friends are teen-agers, both outcasts of a kind, lonely and looking for ways to palliate their solitude. — The New Yorker, 2 May 2022 Those would likely be limited to economic benefits to palliate the loss of crops and revenues for farmers. — Emilio Morenatti, ajc, 13 Feb. 2022

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palliate

Verb

Or targeted other relatives to be hosts, with the precedent of your sister-in-law’s apparently being excused entirely on those grounds.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Look, saying a team should have played better doesn't excuse a questionable call that helps decide the game.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of excuse

Verb

Beyond alleviating school traffic and stadium congestion, the project serves as a major utility corridor.

— Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Eric Talley, a law professor at Columbia University and corporate law expert, told CNBC that a merger could alleviate shareholders' worries about where Musk is spending his time and his companies' resources.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of alleviate

Verb

Between those grounds and the pool, there's enough here to justify leaving part of the day unscheduled.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
In this case, the AI agent carried over an earlier instruction not to send any Slack messages to OpenAI’s team, using that to justify turning off the alerts.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of justify

Verb

Zaylee Ovington and Kynslee Black, eighth grade students at the school, said they are relieved Simons has moved away from primarily using Chromebooks.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
This can involve releasing residual propellant, relieving pressure, and discharging or disconnecting batteries to reduce the risk of accidental explosions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of relieve

Verb

For next year’s admissions, institutions would have to publish more detailed selection criteria and explain rejections when applicants request reasons.

— Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Chatbots can also explain complex topics in new ways and condense an overwhelming amount of information into a simple summary.

— Robin Brewer, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

Representatives from Qatar, which has helped mediate negotiations between Washington and Tehran, also traveled to the Iranian capital on Sunday, Reuters reported.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Cocoa prices have dropped in the last year, but relief is coming too late to help prices for this Halloween, said David Branch, sector manager at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute.

— Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of help

Verb

The fear of effeminization has never felt so acute, which presumably is why Matt Damon’s Odysseus needed bulging muscles, to ensure his sensitivity was mitigated by pecs of steel.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
This month, the council held a nine-hour hearing to debate tax proposals, including the BAT, as the council attempts to mitigate budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2028.

— Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of mitigate

Verb

The hay sauna was a real standout—its subtly sweet scent is both soothing and restorative, said to ease inflammation and relax muscles.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Today’s recipe Creamy, sweet dates soothe out the lemon in these bars, while the tart lemon brightens up the dates.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of soothe

Browse Nearby Words

pallets

palliate

palliated

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“Palliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palliate. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of palliate

verb

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