allay
Americanverb (used with object)
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allays,
present (3rd person singular)
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allayed,
past participle, past
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allaying
present participle
verb
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to relieve (pain, grief, etc) or be relieved
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(tr) to reduce (fear, anger, etc)
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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allaysimple
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allayssimple
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have allayedperfect
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has allayedperfect
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am allayingprogressive
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are allayingprogressive
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is allayingprogressive
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have been allayingperfect progressive
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has been allayingperfect progressive
Past
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allayedsimple
-
had allayedperfect
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was allayingprogressive
-
were allayingprogressive
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had been allayingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of allay
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; see allege) to alleviate, allay
Explanation
The verb allay is used when you want to make something better or eliminate fears and concerns. When you allay something, you are calming it or reducing difficulties. It is used commonly in the context of to allay concerns and to comfort and some of its many synonyms are alleviate, decrease, mitigate, assuage and mollify. Allay comes from the Old English word alecgan, which means "to put down," as in literally "to lighten." So, if you can allay someone's fears, you are lightening their mood!
Vocabulary lists containing allay
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Grade 11, List 6
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Twelfth Night
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Yet government statements didn’t do much to allay concerns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
But that won't allay the disappointment among those hoping to see her run.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
In a landmark speech setting out his government's policies, Albanese sought to allay public concern over AI, saying it could be adopted in a way that enhanced the national interest.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
It’s only people like Ruth, who thanklessly work to allay that suffering even in the smallest ways, that keep the darkness from devouring us whole.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
During the last day and night new fears had come, but new feelings had helped to allay those fears.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
The director of Belfast Christmas Market is hoping the suspension of roadworks in the run-up to Christmas allays concerns after recent traffic congestion in the city.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2024
In states that are now moving to change their procedures, lawmakers argue that creating formal rules allays security concerns and prevents bad actors from disrupting governance.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2022
Now, an ambitious new study allays those fears.
From Science Magazine ● Feb. 2, 2022
“Nothing in her opening statement allays that concern.”
From Washington Post ● Oct. 11, 2020
Now I'm no Amerikin myself, but they're a wunnerful clever people, the Amerikins are, allays inventin' or suthink o' that there.
From Puppets at Large Scenes and Subjects from Mr Punch's Show by Anstey, F.
Any initial concerns during early negotiations about the much-criticised BlueCo project have now been allayed.
From BBC ● May 16, 2026
Early fears that the fast-food colossus would be overly brand conscious and dictate content were allayed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2026
It will take a long time for these concerns to be allayed.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
Nvidia’s shares handed back gains Thursday, leading other tech stocks lower, after its earnings only briefly allayed worries over heavy spending in AI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
But made into a gruel it allayed the children’s craving for a time and put something into their distended, empty bellies.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
January’s jobs growth was the largest since December 2024, allaying fears about a weakening labor market.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
If Tongue was wild, Atkinson was accurate, allaying any fears about his own lack of cricket.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2025
The dramatic move is intended to speed the adoption of electric vehicles, allaying fears that chargers won’t be available for long distance travel.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
Wall Street has largely held steady through the start of the earnings season as results from the big banks came in stronger than expected, allaying concerns about a contagion from the banking crisis in March.
From Reuters ● Apr. 24, 2023
Eisenhower understood that allaying the public’s concerns required concrete action.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
