as in to soothe
to free from distress or disturbance
attempting to salve her conscience, she anonymously sent the store a sum of cash sufficient to cover the merchandise she had shoplifted
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Recent Examples of salve
Blake Simons, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The smooth implementation of Magic Cue, utilising a subset of apps and a subset of data, can serve as a salve for these concerns in the future.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Part of what can be confounding about grief is that what salves one person does the opposite for another.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salve
Verb
Stepping into this equation like a salve is Noémie Merlant, the film’s standout performance and true emotional core, playing Eleanora’s soft-spoken daughter, Enrichetta.
—Blake Simons, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The smooth implementation of Magic Cue, utilising a subset of apps and a subset of data, can serve as a salve for these concerns in the future.
—Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Decades later, Reagan, a Republican, offered neoliberalism to salve the stagflation of the 1970s.
—Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Part of what can be confounding about grief is that what salves one person does the opposite for another.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for salve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for salve
Verb
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Choose an exfoliant that has an AHA, such as lactic acid, or other hydrating properties to soothe your skin while exfoliating.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
26 Sep. 2025
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Packed with 49% green tomato extract, glycerin, a six-clay complex (which includes kaolin and bentonite), and cica, this cleanser-mask hybrid clears pores and sweeps away blackheads while also soothing the skin.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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It’s made with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, and it can even be paired with your favorite lip balm or gloss — without staining the applicator — for an extra boost of moisture.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
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Double-cleanse with Aprilskin cleansing balm, Eminence daily exfoliating cleanser, Thayer’s toner, Glow Recipe blackberry retinol, and Farmacy honey halo moisturizer.—
R29 Team,
Refinery29,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Today, her clients learn not only to calm their stress but to channel their nervous system’s vigilance into authenticity, resilience, and trust.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Cuddling pets also promotes the release of calming hormones like oxytocin.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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After testing moisturizers, gels, and creams, our top overall pick was the Medicube Triple Collagen Cream.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
26 Sep. 2025
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They're known for their dark brown fur with cream points, and are native to large swathes of Brazil and other parts of Latin America.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Platforms had lulled users into complacent dependency, then sealed off the exits, revealing themselves as extractive monopolies.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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This game helps lessen those barriers and lulls in conversation.—
L. Daniela Alvarez,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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A lot of pharmaceutical companies have created nonsteroidal options over the years, but these tend to be ointments and pretty greasy ones at that.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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There’s a fly in Powell’s ointment, however.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stage two would see Gaza governed by a temporary transitional body consisting of a technocratic, apolitical committee composed of Palestinians and international members.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
30 Sep. 2025
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This assertion that Mary was a child of a well-to-do family might have some historical validity since this text was composed at a time when the poverty and celibacy of the Holy Family had become associated with her nunlike virtue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jean’s mama reproached her for not having been more careful and babied Wole, ordering him to remove his T-shirt and retrieving an aloe lotion, telling him to stretch out on the couch and instructing Jean to spread it over the tender areas.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
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In particular, TikTokers have posted about the effects of magnesium lotion, oils and sprays to induce sleepiness when used on the bottoms of the feet.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Salve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/salve. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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