soothing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- oversoothing adjective
- oversoothingly adverb
- self-soothing adjective
- soothingly adverb
- soothingness noun
- unsoothing adjective
- unsoothingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of soothing
Explanation
Something soothing is comforting; it helps calm fears, anxiety, or pain. Cool aloe vera lotion is very soothing on a really bad sunburn, while pacifiers are soothing to screaming babies. The adjective soothing comes to us from the verb soothe, which means "to relieve." So something soothing brings relief and makes you feel better. Soothing music can help you feel more relaxed, while a soothing cup of hot chocolate can warm you up from the frigid cold. And if you fall and scrape your knee? You'll probably wish your mom was there to offer some soothing words and a kiss to make it all better.
Vocabulary lists containing soothing
Unit 1: Telling Details
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"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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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.
“I’m as surprised as anyone, but my best guess is very strong economic momentum in early 2026, and an oil curve that is soothing credit and equity markets.”
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The Eye Spa machine uses a “cold mist atomization process,” Xie said, “that disperses micro-particles of moisture combined with soothing essential oils.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
The logistical obstacle course they would need to navigate for the evacuation included soothing jumpy horses, scrambling for last-minute cargo flights and navigating Belgian bureaucracy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
Their relative normalcy, and that of fellow marrieds Amber Morrison and Jordan Faeth, is a soothing contrast to the textbook Fusco fiasco and the rest of the season’s red flag bearers.
From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026
I stroked his back gently, soothing him, chasing away the nightmare.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
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.
