SKIP TO CONTENT

assuage

/əˈsweɪdʒ/
/əˈsweɪʒ/
IPA guide

Other forms: assuaged; assuaging; assuages

If you assuage an unpleasant feeling, you make it go away. Assuaging your hunger by eating a bag of marshmallows may cause you other unpleasant feelings.

The most common things that we assuage are fears, concerns, guilt, grief, anxiety, and anger. That makes a lot of sense — these are all things we seek relief from. The word comes from Old French assouagier, from the Latin root suavis, "sweet" — think of adding a bit of honey to something unpleasant. A word with a similar meaning is mollify.

Definitions of assuage
  1. verb
    provide physical relief, as from pain
    synonyms: alleviate, palliate, relieve
    see moresee less
    types:
    soothe
    cause to feel better
    comfort, ease
    lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate
    type of:
  2. verb
    satisfy (thirst)
    synonyms: allay, quench, slake
    see moresee less
    type of:
    fill, fulfil, fulfill, meet, satisfy
    fill or meet a want or need
  3. verb
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘assuage'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family