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

The move has been seen as a step toward resolving the spat and Nexperia chips began leaving China again earlier this month, soothing jitters in the auto industry.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The third quarter was largely strong for company earnings—Nvidia reported record sales and strong guidance Wednesday, helping soothe jitters about an artificial-intelligence bubble.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nvidia’s commentary could help soothe some of Wall Street’s concerns over high valuations in the tech sector.

Read more on MarketWatch

To make one is nearly as soothing as a cup of tea, but to tick items off the list when completed is a feeling so delicious one might easily confuse it with actual cake.

Read more on Literature

From the kind Swanburne veterinarian she had learned everything she knew about how to soothe frightened animals.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

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