soothe

[ sooth ]

/ suð /

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See synonyms for: soothe / soothed / soothes / soothing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), soothed, sooth·ing.

to tranquilize or calm (a person or their emotions); relieve, comfort, or refresh: soothing someone's anger;to soothe someone with a hot drink.

to mitigate, assuage, or allay, as pain, sorrow, or doubt: to soothe sunburned skin.

verb (used without object), soothed, sooth·ing.

to exert a calming influence; bring tranquility, ease, or comfort: a soft-spoken poem that soothes like a lullaby.

OTHER WORDS FOR soothe

2 alleviate, appease, mollify.

See synonyms for soothe on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR soothe

1 upset, roil.

See antonyms for soothe on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

synonym study for soothe

1. See comfort, allay.

OTHER WORDS FROM soothe

soother, nounself-soothed, adjectiveun·soothed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use soothe in a sentence

Nail-biting, thumb-sucking, overeating, and overdrinking are also forms of self-soothing that might be connected to the suckling reflex we have as infants.
How the pandemic got people smoking again|Melinda Fakuade|November 12, 2020|Vox
The most important takeaway of this discussion is that yes, a child can be born to a warm, loving parent and still be avoidant and difficult to soothe.
Why one child can be more ‘difficult’ than another|Meghan Leahy|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
The Red Sox won’t have to worry much about soothing souls in New England, whether inside or outside the organization.
For the Red Sox, rehiring Alex Cora makes sense. But it doesn’t look good.|Dave Sheinin|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
They understand that, to effectively lead their employees, they need to avoid taking a public position, and be prepared to soothe post-election trauma.
Brace yourselves for the coming days|Alan Murray|November 2, 2020|Fortune

We were also rewarded with views that delivered a soul-soothing mixture of mountain peaks and golden leaves.
Autumn in the Adirondacks is a mountain do|Debra Bruno|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
Her brown-velvet eyes often soothed me, although her eyebrows added to her every demand: “I mean business!”
‘Tracing the Blue Light’: Read Chapter 1 of Eileen Cronin’s ‘Mermaid’|Eileen Cronin|April 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I also believe the relative quiet on the Palestinian front has soothed Israelis.
Israel 2013 Is Not Bibi’s Israel|Gil Troy|January 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She was overcome with guilt, and as she soothed me, she promised herself no harm would ever come to me again.
Will Fawzia Koofi Be Afghanistan's First Female President?|Fawzia Koofi|January 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But a mere nine months is clearly not enough time to have healed his wounds or soothed his anger.
Michael Steele Blasts GOP Enemies|Lloyd Grove|October 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The singing unnerved Butch as well, but he managed to sit still with his eyes closed, as if soothed by the words and music.
John Grisham's First Short Story: Part Two|John Grisham|October 26, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He took the seat offered to him, by the Marchioness; and listened to her conversation with soothed attention.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
No human ear heard her cries for help, no pitying voice soothed her last agonies.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
He felt inclined to believe it, but while it soothed his torn and throbbing pride, it by no means lessened his apprehension.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Sillery possessed a feeling heart, and was soothed and comforted by the devotion of his friend.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
The Parliament, which met burning with indignation, was soothed into good humour.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay

British Dictionary definitions for soothe

soothe

/ (suːð) /

verb

(tr) to make calm or tranquil

(tr) to relieve or assuage (pain, longing, etc)

(intr) to bring tranquillity or relief

Derived forms of soothe

soother, noun

Word Origin for soothe

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

soothe

OTHER WORDS FOR soothe

OPPOSITES FOR soothe

Origin of soothe

synonym study for soothe

OTHER WORDS FROM soothe

Words related to soothe

How to use soothe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for soothe

Derived forms of soothe

Word Origin for soothe