allay

[ uh-ley ]

verb (used with object)

, al·layed, al·lay·ing.

1. to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet.

   Synonyms: assuage, soften

   Antonyms: excite

2. to lessen or relieve; mitigate; alleviate:

   to allay pain.

   Synonyms: ease, temper, mollify, lighten

allay

/ əˈleɪ /

verb

1. to relieve (pain, grief, etc) or be relieved
2. tr to reduce (fear, anger, etc)

Other Words From

• al·layer noun
• unal·layed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of allay¹

before 1000; Middle English aleyen, Old English ālecgan to put down, allay ( ā- a- ³ + lecgan to lay ¹ ); spelling -ll- shows influence of the now obsolete allege (< Anglo-French, Old French aleg ( i ) er; allege ) to alleviate, allay

Word History and Origins

Origin of allay¹

Old English ālecgan to put down, from lecgan to lay ¹

Synonym Study

Allay, moderate, soothe mean to reduce excitement or emotion. To allay is to lay to rest or lull to a sense of security, possibly by making the emotion seem unjustified: to allay suspicion, anxiety, fears. To moderate is to tone down any excess and thus to restore calm: to moderate the expression of one's grief. To soothe is to exert a pacifying or tranquilizing influence: to soothe a terrified child.

Example Sentences

Experts [predict] that over a million people in the region need food aid to allay shortages.

From The Daily Beast

The report calls on the Palestinians to recognize that Israeli security concerns are legitimate and to take steps to allay these.

From The Daily Beast

Friday morning, however, we got two pieces of data that should allay those concerns, at least for now.

From The Daily Beast

The fact that the government employee in question is a McKinsey alumnus does not allay any of my concerns.

From The Daily Beast

Last night, he reassured - but can one speech allay fears stoked over three harrowing years?

From The Daily Beast

Le jour suyvant, j'allay visiter les Sauvages, et y fis mon accoustum, ainsy qu j'ay dict de Kinibqui.

From Project Gutenberg

She was bien souffrante, and she was filled with vague dread, which only her husband's presence could allay.

From Project Gutenberg

By the time it ceased they had eaten their supper of hard bread and harder beef, and lighted their pipes to allay their thirst.

From Project Gutenberg

Jocelyn kept moving, so that the changing air wafted over the little bare limbs might allay the fever.

From Project Gutenberg

To allay it, I shall to-day search entire ship carefully from stem to stern.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alleviate
• assuage
• calm
• ease
• lessen
• mitigate
• mollify
• pacify