1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

soothe

verb

ˈsüt͟h How to pronounce soothe (audio)
Definition of soothenext
1
as in to reassure
to ease the grief or distress of there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to calm
to free from distress or disturbance soothed the baby with a bottle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to relieve
to make more bearable or less severe hot tea with honey will soothe a sore throat

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 soothe This is not soothing nature-doc viewing, but instead, a clear-eyed stare into the face of death — with a dash of marital angst, too. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026 Perched along Positano’s cliffs, the hotel soothes the soul and stirs the senses. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 Over-the-counter creams, ointments or suppositories can soothe itching and swelling overnight. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Make a soothing tea with hot water and herbal tea, like hibiscus or chamomile. — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soothe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soothe
  1. reassure
  2. calm
  3. relieve
  4. assure
  5. lull
  6. alleviate
  7. comfort
  8. compose
Verb
  • Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US, stressed that Trump would likely need to make sacrifices to meaningfully address the debt and reassure financial markets.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The struggle to stitch the party back together spilled into the open again in recent days — this time as nominee Abdul El-Sayed sought to reassure wary Jewish voters, who make up a key part of the Democratic coalition in the state.
    — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reassure
Verb
  • Winds will begin to calm Sunday as the air stream out of the northwest becomes more steady.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Forecasters also say the high surf and rough ocean conditions that rattled coastlines from Malibu to San Diego over the last week are expected to calm.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of calm
Verb
  • Because the underlying mechanisms driving this persistent pain are unknown, treatment options are centered on relieving symptoms but largely fall short.
    — Andrew Bubak, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Humor becomes a way of both relieving and postponing tension.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of relieve
Verb
  • Rest assured, all is well with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s Super Bowl ring.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Then the celebration hits a sour note when Liz assures Alice that the team doesn’t hate her.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of assure
Verb
  • When a baby is cranky or fighting sleep, a swing can gently calm them down or lull them to sleep.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This is not the time to get lulled into a false sense of security, according to BTIG.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of lull
Verb
  • Safety and crowding concerns will continue to plague the uptown jail when Jail North reopens to alleviate conditions, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden warned late Friday.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Major studies show that meditation can alleviate anxiety and depression—at least about as well as the antidepressant Lexapro can, but without the cost and with fewer side effects.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of alleviate
Verb
  • Black is comforted by the fact that indie rock fans who hate the podcast could still enjoy themselves at the awards show.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In a 2017 People cover story, editor-at-large Liz McNeil wrote that Carolyn comforted the Radziwills by bringing soup from Anthony’s favorite NYC restaurant to the hospital.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of comfort
Verb
  • In 2024, not long after Federer retired, the ATP saw its first top 10 composed entirely of two-handers.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Of this budget, the other 95% is composed of dark energy (68%) and dark matter (27%).
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of compose

Browse Nearby Words

sooth
soothe
soothed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Soothe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soothe. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of facsimile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All