assuage

Advancedzipf 2.63

Pronunciation

/əˈsweɪdʒ/(uh-SWAYJ)

Part of speech

verbformal

Chinese

缓解；减轻（痛苦、焦虑等）

Definition

To make an unpleasant feeling less intense; to satisfy a desire.

Word family

  • assuagement/əˈsweɪdʒmənt/(n)缓解

Collocations

  • assuage fears
  • assuage guilt
  • assuage concerns
  • assuage hunger

Examples

  1. 1.The CEO held a press conference to assuage public fears about the data breach. (ease, calm)
  2. 2.Nothing could assuage her guilt about leaving her family behind. (lessen)

Synonyms

  • alleviate/əˈliːvieɪt/— reduce suffering
  • mitigate/ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/— make less severe
  • soothe/suːð/— calm, comfort

Etymology

from Latin "ad-" (to) + "suavis" (sweet) — to make sweet, to soften