Synonyms of allay

allay

verb

a-ˈlā 

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe

a gentle breeze would allay the heat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• alleviate
• relieve
• help
• soothe
• mitigate
• ease
• assuage
• soften
• mollify
• heal
• improve
• palliate
• cure
• temper
• enhance
• remedy
• lighten
• moderate
• abate
• rectify
• ameliorate
• correct
• amend
• better
• fix
• repair
• refine
• enrich
• perfect
• reform
• emend
• mend
• meliorate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impair
• hurt
• harm
• injure
• exacerbate
• aggravate
• intensify
• heighten
• sharpen

Synonym Chooser

How is the word allay different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of allay are alleviate, assuage, lighten, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When is it sensible to use alleviate instead of allay?

The synonyms alleviate and allay are sometimes interchangeable, but alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

Where would assuage be a reasonable alternative to allay?

Although the words assuage and allay have much in common, assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When is lighten a more appropriate choice than allay?

In some situations, the words lighten and allay are roughly equivalent. However, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When could mitigate be used to replace allay?

While in some cases nearly identical to allay, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

When would relieve be a good substitute for allay?

The words relieve and allay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of allay

During an online meeting last week members tried to allay those concerns as the Park Board nears final decisions on the Field Center, which should come Thursday. —Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025

In addition, Trump disclosed further interest in making a deal with China on TikTok, a potential linchpin in allaying escalating tensions between the two sides. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2025

Second round, No. 43: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo Alexander allayed a lot of the small-school concerns about him at the Senior Bowl. —Matt Barrows, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

The franchise, whose first two installments have combined to gross more than $5.2 billion worldwide, has helped allay at least some criticism of Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025