pacify

verb

pac·i·fy ˈpa-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce pacify (audio)

pacified; pacifying

transitive verb

: to allay the anger or agitation of : soothe

pacify a crying child

: appease, propitiate

tried to pacify the enemy with compromises

: to restore to a tranquil state : settle

made an attempt to pacify the commotion

: to reduce to a submissive state : subdue

forces moved in to pacify the country

pacifiable

ˌpa-sə-ˈfī-ə-bəl How to pronounce pacify (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

A parent who wants to win a little peace and quiet might give a fussy baby a pacifier. An employer seeking to avoid worker discontent might pay employees well. These actions may seem unrelated, but etymologically speaking, they have a lot in common. Both pacifier and pay are ultimately derived from pax, the Latin word for "peace." As you may have guessed, pax is also the source of our word peace. Pacify comes to us through Middle English pacifien, from the Latin verb pacificare, which derives from pax.

Example Sentences

She resigned from her position to pacify her accusers. Their efforts to pacify the nation by force failed. trying to pacify a mob of protesters

Recent Examples on the Web Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters.

Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Her apology did not do much to pacify outraged members of the community.

Nicole Kagan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Here, the story’s grandmother character is the real villain, the real predator, and one who attempts to pacify the protective dogs with a smile and a bone.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters.

Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Bullying from grown men and grown women to score political points, to pacify constituents whipped up into a frenzy by talk radio jerks and cable TV hatemongers.

al, 8 Apr. 2022 But then they would be left trying to pacify more than 40 million mostly hostile Ukrainians, which would require most of the active-duty military, leaving little for further invasions.

Benjamin H. Friedman, The Week, 20 Mar. 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters.

Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters.

Krishan Francis, ajc, 29 Apr. 2022 See More

pacify

verb

as in to appease

to lessen the anger or agitation of the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

appease
placate
soothe
mollify
calm
comfort
propitiate
assuage
conciliate
disarm
please
satisfy
console
gentle
ingratiate
tranquilize
delight
quiet
satiate
gratify
content
coax
tranquillize
cajole
gladden
hush
sate
indulge
quench
flatter
wheedle
coddle
baby
humor
pamper
sweeten
spoil
adulate
mollycoddle
overpraise
blandish
blarney
endear (to)
sweet-talk
dulcify
cater (to)
soft-soap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

inflame
anger
infuriate
antagonize
enrage
annoy
irritate
aggravate
rile
provoke
rouse
outrage
get
exasperate
vex
enflame
bother
irk
rankle
ire
burn (up)
cross
pique
roil
bug
harass
ruffle
disturb
put out
chafe
agitate
grate
upset
gall
madden
persecute
pester
distress
perturb
worry
incense
discomfort
unsettle
offend
harry
insult
slight
fret
nettle
peeve
affront
unhinge

as in to subdue

to bring under one's control by force of arms additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified

Synonyms & Similar Words

subdue
conquer
dominate
subject
defeat
overcome
subjugate
enslave
vanquish
subordinate
overpower
reduce
quell
crush
annihilate
beat
suppress
smash
trounce
lick
whip
clobber
repress
quash
rout
thrash
wallop
silence
smother
squelch
drub
skunk
mow (down)
squash
put down
prevail (over)
break
triumph (over)
snuff (out)
crack down (on)
clamp down (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

liberate
emancipate
enfranchise
release
discharge
free
manumit
spring
unbind
unfetter
unchain
uncage

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of pacify are appease, conciliate, mollify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

The words appease and pacify can be used in similar contexts, but appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

The meanings of conciliate and pacify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

The words mollify and pacify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

In some situations, the words placate and pacify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

Although the words propitiate and pacify have much in common, propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

单词	pacify
释义	pacify verb pac·i·fy ˈpa-sə-ˌfī pacified; pacifying transitive verb 1 a : to allay the anger or agitation of : soothe pacify a crying child b : appease, propitiate tried to pacify the enemy with compromises 2 a : to restore to a tranquil state : settle made an attempt to pacify the commotion b : to reduce to a submissive state : subdue forces moved in to pacify the country pacifiable ˌpa-sə-ˈfī-ə-bəl adjective Did you know? A parent who wants to win a little peace and quiet might give a fussy baby a pacifier. An employer seeking to avoid worker discontent might pay employees well. These actions may seem unrelated, but etymologically speaking, they have a lot in common. Both pacifier and pay are ultimately derived from pax, the Latin word for "peace." As you may have guessed, pax is also the source of our word peace. Pacify comes to us through Middle English pacifien, from the Latin verb pacificare, which derives from pax. Synonyms appease assuage conciliate disarm gentle mollify placate propitiate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She resigned from her position to pacify her accusers. Their efforts to pacify the nation by force failed. trying to pacify a mob of protesters Recent Examples on the Web Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters. Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Her apology did not do much to pacify outraged members of the community. Nicole Kagan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Here, the story’s grandmother character is the real villain, the real predator, and one who attempts to pacify the protective dogs with a smile and a bone. San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters. Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Bullying from grown men and grown women to score political points, to pacify constituents whipped up into a frenzy by talk radio jerks and cable TV hatemongers. al, 8 Apr. 2022 But then they would be left trying to pacify more than 40 million mostly hostile Ukrainians, which would require most of the active-duty military, leaving little for further invasions. Benjamin H. Friedman, The Week, 20 Mar. 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters. Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2022 Both the president and prime minister have held on to their positions, while three other Rajapaksa family members resigned from the Cabinet earlier in April in what appeared an attempt to pacify angry protesters. Krishan Francis, ajc, 29 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English pacifien, from Anglo-French pacifier, from Latin pacificare, from pac-, pax peace First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition pacify verb pac·i·fy ˈpa-sə-ˌfī pacified; pacifying : to make peaceful or quiet : calm, soothe The babysitter tried to pacify the crying baby. pacify verb 1 as in to appease to lessen the anger or agitation of the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance appease placate soothe mollify calm comfort propitiate assuage conciliate disarm please satisfy console gentle ingratiate tranquilize delight quiet satiate gratify content coax tranquillize cajole gladden hush sate indulge quench flatter wheedle coddle baby humor pamper sweeten spoil adulate mollycoddle overpraise blandish blarney endear (to) sweet-talk dulcify cater (to) soft-soap Antonyms & Near Antonyms inflame anger infuriate antagonize enrage annoy irritate aggravate rile provoke rouse outrage get exasperate vex enflame bother irk rankle ire burn (up) cross pique roil bug harass ruffle disturb put out chafe agitate grate upset gall madden persecute pester distress perturb worry incense discomfort unsettle offend harry insult slight fret nettle peeve affront unhinge See More 2 as in to subdue to bring under one's control by force of arms additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified Synonyms & Similar Words subdue conquer dominate subject defeat overcome subjugate enslave vanquish subordinate overpower reduce quell crush annihilate beat suppress smash trounce lick whip clobber repress quash rout thrash wallop silence smother squelch drub skunk mow (down) squash put down prevail (over) break triumph (over) snuff (out) crack down (on) clamp down (on) Antonyms & Near Antonyms liberate emancipate enfranchise release discharge free manumit spring unbind unfetter unchain uncage See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of pacify are appease, conciliate, mollify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," pacify suggests a soothing or calming. pacified by a sincere apology The words appease and pacify can be used in similar contexts, but appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions. appease their territorial ambitions The meanings of conciliate and pacify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences. conciliating the belligerent nations The words mollify and pacify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger. a speech that mollified the demonstrators In some situations, the words placate and pacify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill. a move to placate local opposition Although the words propitiate and pacify have much in common, propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being. propitiated his parents by dressing up
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pacify

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser