soothe

American  

[sooth] / suð /

verb (used with object)

soothed, soothing

1. to tranquilize or calm (a person or their emotions); relieve, comfort, or refresh.

   soothing someone's anger;

   to soothe someone with a hot drink.

   Antonyms:

   roil, upset

2. to mitigate, assuage, or allay, as pain, sorrow, or doubt.

   to soothe sunburned skin.

   Synonyms:

   mollify, appease, alleviate

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verb (used without object)

soothed, soothing

1. to exert a calming influence; bring tranquility, ease, or comfort.

   a soft-spoken poem that soothes like a lullaby.

soothe British  

/ suːð /

verb

1. (tr) to make calm or tranquil

2. (tr) to relieve or assuage (pain, longing, etc)

3. (intr) to bring tranquillity or relief

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Related Words

See comfort, allay.

Other Word Forms

• self-soothed
  adjective
• soother
  noun
• unsoothed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of soothe

First recorded before 950; Middle English sothen “to bear witness, confirm, verify,” Old English sōthian “to prove true”; the Modern English sense shift “to verify” becomes “to support (a person's statement),” then “to encourage,” and finally “to calm”; see origin at sooth

Compare meaning

How does soothe compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sooth vs. soothe

Explanation

To soothe is to relieve or to bring comfort. If the pounding in your head is driving you mad, it sounds like you might need an aspirin or two to soothe your headache. Soothing is meant to make you feel better, both physically and emotionally. Spend too many hours on the beach without sunblock? You'll need some aloe to soothe that sunburn. Had a bad breakup with a boyfriend? Soothing that broken heart might take something stronger — chocolates, a gabfest with good friends, and sappy movies are usually just what the doctor ordered.

Example Sentences

Appeared in the October 24, 2025, print edition as 'Strong Earnings Soothe Markets'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Navalny’s team eventually got permission from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows, which was surrounded by crowd-control barriers.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2024

Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic and the author of “50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food,” described coloring as a “mini mental vacation.”

From New York Times • May 22, 2023

Soothe frayed nerves by packaging up dried mint or camomile in a Mason jar, or create homemade tea bags.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2021

Look on her with an angel's love— Soothe her sad life and cheer her end Through this world's dangers and its griefs.

From The Golden Road by Montgomery, L. M. (Lucy Maud)

Related Words

• allay
• alleviate
• appease
• assuage
• cool
• mitigate
• mollify
• pacify
• relieve
• soften