soothe

/suð/

/suð/

Other forms: soothing; soothed; soothes

To soothe is to relieve or to bring comfort. If the pounding in your head is driving you mad, it sounds like you might need an aspirin or two to soothe your headache.

Soothing is meant to make you feel better, both physically and emotionally. Spend too many hours on the beach without sunblock? You'll need some aloe to soothe that sunburn. Had a bad breakup with a boyfriend? Soothing that broken heart might take something stronger — chocolates, a gabfest with good friends, and sappy movies are usually just what the doctor ordered.

Definitions of soothe

1. verb

   cause to feel better
   “the medicine soothes the pain of the inflammation”

   antonyms:

   irritate

   excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame

   type of:

   alleviate, assuage, palliate, relieve

   provide physical relief, as from pain
2. verb

   give moral or emotional strength to
   synonyms: comfort, console, solace

   types:

   calm, calm down, lull, quiet, quieten, still, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize

   make calm or still

   allay, ease, relieve, still

   lessen the intensity of or calm

   lull

   calm by deception

   compose

   calm (someone, especially oneself); make quiet

   appease, assuage, conciliate, gentle, gruntle, lenify, mollify, pacify, placate

   cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of

   assure, reassure

   cause to feel sure; give reassurance to

   abreact

   discharge bad feelings or tension through verbalization