Meaning & use

assuage

verb·Advanced

To make an unpleasant feeling, such as guilt, fear, or pain, less intense.

See it in a sentence

The manager's apology did little to assuage the staff's frustration over the cancelled bonus.

A warm cup of tea can sometimes assuage the discomfort of a long, stressful day.

A note on using this word

Assuage is a somewhat formal word usually paired with negative emotions like guilt, grief, anger, or fear, rather than with physical objects or tasks.

Words with a similar meaning

sootheeaserelieve

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

aggravateintensify

Make it your own

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