soothe
Americanverb (used with object)
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soothes,
present (3rd person singular)
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soothed,
past participle, past
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soothing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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soothes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
soothed,
past participle, past
-
soothing
present participle
verb
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(tr) to make calm or tranquil
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(tr) to relieve or assuage (pain, longing, etc)
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(intr) to bring tranquillity or relief
Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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soothesimple
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soothessimple
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have soothedperfect
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has soothedperfect
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am soothingprogressive
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are soothingprogressive
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is soothingprogressive
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have been soothingperfect progressive
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has been soothingperfect progressive
Past
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soothedsimple
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had soothedperfect
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was soothingprogressive
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were soothingprogressive
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had been soothingperfect progressive
Future
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:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing soothe
Comfy Cozy Lingo
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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:
The Financial Times looks at the Burnham government's "bid to soothe 'public control' anxiety" through "stressing the new administration's desire to attract private capital into key sectors of the economy".
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
It had the power to soothe the roughest of sore throats and quiet the phlegmiest of coughs.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
She also grows oregano and lemongrass, with which she brews into a tea to soothe stomach issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
"Anthropomorphic AI can soothe loneliness," said Chen Liang of the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in a commentary published by the CAC after a draft version of China's rules was published in April.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
“Oh, do not say such things. I know how you loved the king,” I murmured, trying to soothe her.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
"The ceasefire definitely soothes our nerves, hoping it stays this way. The crew is finally taking a breather," an off-duty captain of a ship, whose crew is stranded off Qatar, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026
Delta soothes investor fears over the effect of rising oil prices by raising revenue guidance, and the stock surges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
It soothes public discomfort, offering a savior archetype instead of a policy fix.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2025
Her daughter would laugh and say, “Because it soothes her.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025
Water always soothes me: hearing its movement, swimming in it, or watching the waves tumble.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
But there was a roughly 38% chance of a hike — up from closer to 13% a week ago, when cooler inflation data for June soothed worries over rate increases.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
Maybe having some allies in that moment soothed him.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
A freshly agreed U.S.-Iran peace deal has soothed some concerns about an energy shock but analysts warn that it will take time for oil supplies to normalize and for the economic ripples to calm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
It’s natural that investors are soothed to hear about the next satellite launch.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
The chazzan’s sonorous chanting soothed me like balm on a burn.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
For the uninitiated, a sound bath is where a practitioner plays crystal or Tibetan sound bowls, gongs and chimes in a soothing way.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
It was a soothing and relaxed space that suggested fun on the horizon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
When life gets you down, Danny Palumbo opines, nothing is more soothing than eating a meal prepared with love.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Male and female U1s can speak through an artificial intelligence tool programmed by the company to offer soothing words if it detects fatigue or stress, and get to know its user over time.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
The bickering was a nice, soothing background after all that racket.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
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.
