pacifying 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress a pacifying treat of milk and cookies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in appeasing
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility the referee adopted a pacifying tone to try to calm everyone down

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pacifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pacify
1
as in comforting
to lessen the anger or agitation of the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in subduing
to bring under one's control by force of arms additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pacifying
Verb
Such tactics have never succeeded in pacifying Iranian society for long. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 That transformed the industry by giving it a clear American base — and by pacifying agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission that had been, under Biden, openly hostile. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Rather than unifying and pacifying a populace, this kind of media encouraged idiosyncratic, extreme views. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 8 Sep. 2025 And without the pacifying force of the Dalai Lama, there will be fewer guardrails to prevent Sino-Tibetan disputes from sliding into intractable ethnic conflict. — Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacifying
  1. relaxing
  2. soothing
  3. appeasing
  4. subduing
  5. comforting
  6. conciliatory
  7. conquering
  8. calming
Adjective
  • Last month, the sisters were spotted enjoying a relaxing day out on a yacht in Italy to mark Antonia’s 55th birthday.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Louise Watley Library will host a break from the heat in the form of a relaxing coloring program geared toward all ages several times throughout the month.
    — Elizabeth Green, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of relaxing
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the in-cabin activities were equally soothing, with meditative coloring books, cards, board games, a yoga mat, and on-the-nose books about getting lost in nature’s beauty.
    — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Getting organized is emotionally soothing as the moon and Mercury harmonize.
    — USA TODAY, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of soothing
Verb
  • Interest—from both visitors and islanders—is gently shifting away from polishing playboy yachts or appeasing the decadent whims of retirees, to something, well, more real.
    — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
  • But for most Republican members of Congress, appeasing Trump remains key to primary and electoral success.
    — SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Definition of appeasing
Verb
  • This means the market makers, often called dealers, are the ones that have to play catch-up, adding to volatility instead of subduing it.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 23 July 2026
  • Rome — The death of a Moroccan man in police custody has sparked protests – some violent – in the northern city of Bologna after video of the incident showing officers forcefully subduing the man circulated online.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of subduing
Adjective
  • While on vacation, eating a comforting hotel breakfast helps start your day off right.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Most of the album proceeds at a lazy ramble, a blend of the comforting countrypolitian and the folky wanderlust of the progressive country of the late ’60s.
    — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of comforting
Adjective
  • Trump himself seemed to strike a more conciliatory tone when returning from the summit.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026
  • Trump reverses on housing bill Republican senators were eager for a conciliatory meeting with the president after escalating tensions in recent weeks.
    — Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of conciliatory
Verb
  • Sauron’s armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2026
  • Warner always suspected his purpose, besides hitting and tackling and conquering challengers, was to inspire.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of conquering
Adjective
  • The songs on the album felt like intricate lullabies with a beautiful, calming, druggy sweetness to them.
    — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 31 July 2026
  • Cherries and bananas rank among the most calming foods to eat before bed.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of calming

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Cite this Entry

“Pacifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacifying. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pacifying

Nglish: Translation of pacifying for Spanish Speakers

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