pacify
/ˈpæsɪfaɪ/ verb
Forms pacifies pacifying pacified
- verb (transitive) To bring peace to (a place or situation), by ending (or suppressing) war, fighting, violence, anger or agitation. “Their orders were to pacify the province by destroying resistance.”
- verb (transitive, figurative) To mollify, placate or soothe (someone or something).
- verb (transitive, figurative) To appease (someone).
Synonyms
peacify repacify allay locarnize placate see others there ameliorate appease assuage becalm gentle bestill bring down calm calm down cool down cool off delay hose down lull lenify conciliate mollify gruntle
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle French pacifier, from Latin pāx (“peace”) + faciō (“to do, make”). Cognate with pay and peacify.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To make to be at peace; to appease; to calm; to still; to quiet; to allay the agitation, excitement, or resentment of; to tranquillize; as, to pacify a man when angry; to pacify pride, appetite, or importunity. "Pray ye, pacify yourself." Shak.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “pacify”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details