soothing 1 of 3

adjective

ˈsü-t͟hiŋ How to pronounce soothing (audio)
Definition of soothingnext
1
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress the soothing music eventually put the entire yoga class in the proper mood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gentle
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect spoke to the boy in a soothing voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

soothing

2 of 3

noun

as in calming

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

soothing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of soothe
1
as in reassuring
to ease the grief or distress of there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in relieving
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 soothing
Adjective
This simple practice benefits all caregivers, not just birthing parents, and can be done during feeding, soothing, or babywearing. — Parents, 28 July 2026 Microwave or store in the fridge for an extra soothing experience. — ABC News, 25 July 2026
Noun
This became a soothing refrain whenever there was a momentary, impossible-to-plan-for hiccup (like the arrival time of custom’s agents) shared with the guests. — Maria Yagoda, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
If your goals involve improving sleep, soothing digestive discomfort, or supporting healthy blood pressure without caffeine, herbal tisanes like chamomile, peppermint, or hibiscus are excellent choices. — Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 3 Aug. 2026 Think soothing sand-and-cream hues, sleek furnishings and oversized windows that make the sea feel like part of the décor. — Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soothing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soothing
  1. relaxing
  2. gentle
  3. calming
  4. reassuring
  5. lulling
  6. relieving
  7. comforting
  8. soft
Adjective
  • But thanks to Kemble’s careful vision, it gets pulled together into a relaxing space where there's always a new detail to catch your eye.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Grocery shopping for school-age kids is not a relaxing, easy-to-manage weekly chore.
    — Parents, Parents, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of relaxing
Adjective
  • Regular use of a gentle, balanced cleaner will restore clarity to the surface and allow your floors’ natural beauty to shine through.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026
  • With an ecosystem as capricious as this, the local wildlife is born and bred to go with the flow—think gentle-but-giant humpback whales, colonies of industrious beavers, and torpedoing peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on Earth.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of gentle
Noun
  • The idea is that these stocks benefit from a calming of tensions in the Middle East, regardless of what happens with AI spending near term.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 July 2026
  • As a very high-octane, easily stressed gal in the entertainment industry, Dave is my calming, grounding force.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
Definition of calming
Verb
  • And while a prospective cohort of 168 first-trimester exposures found no increased risk of major birth defects or pregnancy loss, the sample is too small to be reassuring.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That perspective may be reassuring for parents who feel conflicted about screen time.
    — Tara Duncan, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of reassuring
Verb
  • Parsons went on to self-release multiple full-length soundtrack albums of ominous sci-fi pads, glitchy electronics, and lulling melodies before A24 announced the release of a feature-length film.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026
  • The project was about permeating the masses, gradually lulling them with propaganda.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of lulling
Verb
  • Campione supports re-prioritizing and accelerating infrastructure projects and relieving congestion on county roads, especially arterial and collector road projects, by pushing the state to replace outdated funding formulas.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Campillo has said that tourists and other park visitors have begun relieving themselves in grassy areas and other locations, and that as a result the closures are creating a public health emergency.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of relieving
Adjective
  • Fall Dog Treats These cozy seasonal dog treats are made with simple organic ingredients, gently oven baked in small batches for a soft, flavorful reward inspired by the comforting tastes of fall.
    — Jessica Moore, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Those ‘boys’ are in their late forties and fifties now — a comforting reminder, to parents who may be despairing about enduring another entry in this franchise, that all children eventually grow up.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of comforting
Adjective
  • My mom raves about Vuori loungewear, and there’s currently a pair of the brand’s airy, feather-soft wide-leg pants on sale for 25 percent off.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Set the scene On the second and last morning of my weekend at Winvian, a soft snow came upon the place and landed in a thin blanket.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of soft

Browse Nearby Words

soothes
soothing
soothingness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Soothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soothing. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on soothing

Nglish: Translation of soothing for Spanish Speakers

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 vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All