solace

1 a feeling of ease from grief or trouble the kind words brought a little solace to the grieving widow Synonyms cheer, consolation, relief, comfortRelated Words encouragement, inspiration, uplift; assurance, reassurance; alleviation, assuagement, mitigation; contentment, gladness, happiness; commiseration, empathy, sympathy; aid, assistance, help, succorNear Antonyms cold comfort; anguish, distress, heartache, heartbreak, torment, torture

2 the giving of hope and strength in times of grief, distress, or suffering the selfless solace of the sick by the workers at the hospice Synonyms comforting, consoling, reassurance, consolation, solacingRelated Words commiseration, compassion, condolence, feeling, sympathy; counseling (or counselling); humanity, kindheartedness, kindliness, kindness, mercy, pity

1 to ease the grief or distress of counselors did their best to solace the bereaved children Synonyms assure, cheer, console, reassure, comfort, sootheRelated Words commiserate, condole, empathize, sympathize; boost, buoy (up), elevate, lift, uplift; allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve; calm, quiet, relax, tranquilize (also tranquillize)Near Antonyms demoralize, discourage, dishearten; fret, upset, worry; aggravate, intensify, worsen; annoy, irk, irritate; harass, pesterAntonyms distress, torment, torture, trouble

2 to cause (someone) to pass the time agreeably occupied I solaced myself with a book while I waited for the bus Synonyms disport, divert, entertain, regale, amuseRelated Words absorb, busy, distract, engage, engross, immerse, interest, involve, occupy; beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, delight, enchant, enthrall (or enthral), fascinate; grip, hypnotize, intrigue, mesmerize; coddle, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, please, pleasure, spoil; appease, comfort, conciliate, console, content, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, sootheNear Antonyms bore, jade; drain, enervate, exhaust, fatigue, tire, wear, wear out, weary; aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, disturb, exasperate, fret, gall, grate, harass, harry, irk, nettle, peeve, perturb, pester, pique, upset, vex