mollify

[mol-uh-fahy]

verb (used with object)

mollified, mollifying 

1. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease.

2. to mitigate or reduce; soften.

   to mollify one's demands.

mollify

/ ˈmɒlɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to pacify; soothe

2. to lessen the harshness or severity of

Other Word Forms

• mollifier noun
• mollification noun
• mollifiable adjective
• mollifyingly adverb
• remollify verb (used with object)
• unmollifiable adjective
• unmollifying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mollify¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French mollifier, from Late Latin mollificāre, equivalent to Latin molli(s) “soft” + -ficāre -fy

Word History and Origins

Origin of mollify¹

C15: from Old French mollifier, via Late Latin, from Latin mollis soft + facere to make

Example Sentences

X in June sought to mollify the EU by adding a disclaimer to the checkmark.

Read more on Barron's

“Nvidia will likely exceed earnings expectations but the question is whether investors will be mollified or not,” she added.

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Investors took fright that the deficit will spiral out of control and were mollified somewhat Friday morning when Britain’s Treasury leaked that rosier economic forecasts might leave her with a smaller budget gap.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A cut is widely expected later this month – but is highly unlikely to be large enough to mollify the president.

Read more on BBC

He ideally would like to bring Western nations along, yet they believe his hunger for peace outweighs his wish to ensure European leaders are mollified.

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Related Words

• allay 
• alleviate 
• ameliorate 
• appease 
• assuage 
• blunt 
• lessen 
• lull 
• mitigate 
• pacify 
• placate 
• quell 
• relieve 
• temper