pacify
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to calm the anger or agitation of; mollify
-
to restore to peace or order, esp by the threat or use of force
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pacify
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Old French pacef(i)ier, pacifier, from Latin pācificāre “to make peace”; see pacific, -fy
Explanation
If you are bringing peace or calm to a state of unrest, you are pacifying the situation. Just think of the transformation a squalling baby undergoes when a pacifier is placed within his mouth, and you will remember the power of the verb to pacify. If you work to establish peace in a certain location between factions at war, then you are working to pacify a country or region. The U.N. has specially trained workers, called peace keepers, who go into to trouble spots to try to pacify rebellions factions and restore order. Or, one can pacify a disgruntled crowd: "The store manager attempted to pacify the restless crowd of shoppers by promising the popular out-of-stock item would soon be back on the shelves."
Vocabulary lists containing pacify
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Power Suffix: -fy
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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.
His four-hour block party, featuring doughnuts and local vendor Pacify MPLS, drew thousands.
From Washington Times • May 1, 2017
Pacify me with a good reason, and you'll find me a dutiful master.
From John Bull The Englishman's Fireside: A Comedy, in Five Acts by Colman, George
Pacify the cravings of the natural man for food and drink.
From Deadham Hard by Malet, Lucas
Pacify, pas′i-fī, v.t. to make peaceful: to appease: to bring back peace to: to calm; to soothe.—adjs.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Pacify the planters first—this report says that they are wild with grief and rage.
From Terry A Tale of the Hill People by Thomson, Charles Goff
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.
