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
as in calming
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in reassuring
to ease the grief or distress of
there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents
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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
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Recent Examples of soothing
Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s something so soothing about being able to lounge back under the spring sunshine.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2025
Arion McNicoll, TheWeek, 12 Jan. 2026
The rechargeable bulb, which lasts up to 72 hours, allows 12 color options beyond the typical warm white, from nervous system-soothing red (ideal for a bedtime wind down) to mood-boosting blue.
—Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soothing
Adjective
The conflict disrupting the peace of such soothing locales doesn't disappoint either.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s something so soothing about being able to lounge back under the spring sunshine.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2025
Verb
Rooms are serene, soundtracked with soothing Gamelan music.
—Arion McNicoll, TheWeek, 12 Jan. 2026
The rechargeable bulb, which lasts up to 72 hours, allows 12 color options beyond the typical warm white, from nervous system-soothing red (ideal for a bedtime wind down) to mood-boosting blue.
—Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soothing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soothing
Adjective
-
Sue Glass Redondo Beach Hope everyone had a nice relaxing offseason.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Onboard/Offboard is a series that explores the can't-miss highlights of our favorite cruises—from the shore excursions to book to the spa treatments too relaxing to pass up.—
Madison Flager,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Common exfoliators and fine line-eliminators like retinol and glycolic acid are too harsh on my skin, but this serum utilizes lactic acid, which is far more gentle but just as potent.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of direct water exposure, the robot switches to a gentler mechanical process.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Financial discussions will be reassuring.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Witkoff had indicated progress in talks about protecting and reassuring Ukraine.—
John Leicester,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Pair it with a calming playlist and deep breaths, and even a red-eye can feel restorative.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The back-and-forth with vendors is something Saks Global has had to deal with repeatedly over the past year — writing letters to brands, calming nerves with reassuring phone calls, trying to temper the cocktail party rumor circuit and in the courts.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Browns let go of Kevin Stefanski The Cleveland Browns kicked off the infamous day in the NFL calendar by relieving Kevin Stefanski of head coaching duties after six seasons in charge of the team, the franchise announced in a statement.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
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Colorado doesn’t have any way of quantifying whether areas need more hospital beds, and health systems generally described their recent projects as bringing specific types of care closer to communities, rather than relieving a crunch on their existing facilities.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
When winter settles in and the days grow shorter, there’s something especially comforting about slowing down and staying close to home.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
-
This is a comforting meal that is anything but bland.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Between its dig-free straps, silky-soft performance fabric, and light Spanxsmooth compression, this one-and-done outfit is a unicorn of travel-friendly pieces, offering all-day comfort in one singular silhouette that’s just as easy to style under a cardigan, zip-up, or jacket.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
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Shoppers agree the set feels ultra-soft.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Obviously, the state has a vested interest in assuring that there’s plenty of electricity available to power this major tax-generating sector.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Carmelo preached patience, assuring Kiyan his time would come.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soothing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soothing. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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