Meaning & use
disarming
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
So friendly, honest or charming that it removes anger or suspicion.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a disarming smile; his honesty was disarming.
Patterns
- a disarming smile
- disarming honesty
Her disarming smile calmed the angry customer.
He had a disarming way of admitting his mistakes.
The child's disarming frankness made everyone laugh.
verbtransitive
The -ing form of disarm: taking weapons away from someone or removing a device's ability to explode.
Grammar: Used as a verb form: they are disarming the guards.
Patterns
- disarming someone
- disarming a bomb
Officers were disarming the suspect when backup arrived.
The expert spent an hour disarming the old shell.
The treaty required both sides to start disarming.
Word forms
| comparative | more disarming |
|---|---|
| superlative | most disarming |
Common combinations
- disarming smile
- A disarming smile crossed his face.
- disarming honesty
- She spoke with disarming honesty about her failures.
- disarming charm
- The host's disarming charm put everyone at ease.
- disarmingly honest
- He was disarmingly honest about the costs.
- disarming candor
- The speech was full of disarming candor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charming
- Charming simply means pleasant and attractive, while disarming adds the effect of lowering someone's guard.
- endearing
- Endearing makes people fond of you, but does not suggest defusing hostility.
- winning
- Winning is warm and attractive, but is milder than disarming and less tied to tension.
- engaging
- Engaging means interesting and pleasant, with no sense of overcoming suspicion.
Opposites
Word family
- disarm verb
- to remove weapons or remove hostility
- disarmament noun
- the reduction or removal of weapons
- disarmingly adverb
- in a way that removes suspicion
- arm verb
- to supply with weapons
Commonly confused: disarming or alarming?
disarming vs alarming
Alarming means frightening or worrying, nearly the opposite effect from a disarming smile.
Practice
The boss expected an angry reply, but the employee's ___ honesty took the heat out of the meeting.
Choose one answer.
Disarming means so honest that it removes tension. Alarming is the tempting wrong word because it looks similar but would increase the tension.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disarming”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.