soothe

[sooth]

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

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

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• soother noun
• self-soothed adjective
• unsoothed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of soothe¹

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”; sooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of soothe¹

C16 (in the sense: to mollify): from Old English sōthian to prove; related to Old Norse sanna to assert; see _sooth

Synonym Study

See comfort, allay.

Example Sentences

For investors, that familiarity should have been soothing, like a replay of a favorite TV show.

Read more on Barron's

But Harriet Dyer strolls through the sliding doors like she’s walking into another shift at work as the soothing automated voice directs harried visitors trying to get their driver’s licenses or transfer car titles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Many people prefer indoor lighting that feels natural and soothing.

Read more on Science Daily

As well as soothing your mind, nature can also help boost your microbiome as soil and plants are full of good bacteria.

Read more on BBC

She said she believed the theft may have been a part of a coping mechanism and likened herself to a foster child who may hoard items or food as a means of soothing themselves.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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