pacify
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pac·i·fy
(păs′ə-fī′)tr.v. pac·i·fied, pac·i·fy·ing, pac·i·fies
1.
a. To ease the anger or agitation of (a person or the mind, for example).
b. To calm or soothe (a feeling, such as anger).
2.
a. To end war, fighting, or violence in (a region or country), especially by military force.
b. To subdue or quell (an insurrection or conflict, for example).
c. To cause (a group) to end a rebellion or other violent action.
[Middle English pacifien, from Old French pacifier, from Latin pācificāre : pāx, pāc-, peace; see pag- in Indo-European roots + -ficāre, -fy.]
pac′i·fi′a·ble adj.
Synonyms: pacify, mollify, conciliate, appease, placate
These verbs refer to allaying another's anger, discontent, or agitation. To pacify is to ease the concerns of or restore calm to: "The explanation ... was merely an invention framed to pacify his guests" (Charlotte Brontë).
Mollify stresses the soothing of hostile feelings: The therapist mollified the angry teenager by speaking gently. Conciliate implies winning over, often by reasoning and with mutual concessions: "He recognized the need to conciliate his political opponents" (Robert W. Johannsen).
Appease and placate suggest satisfying claims or demands or tempering antagonism, often by granting concessions: I appeased my friend's anger with a compliment. A sincere apology placated the indignant customer.
These verbs refer to allaying another's anger, discontent, or agitation. To pacify is to ease the concerns of or restore calm to: "The explanation ... was merely an invention framed to pacify his guests" (Charlotte Brontë).
Mollify stresses the soothing of hostile feelings: The therapist mollified the angry teenager by speaking gently. Conciliate implies winning over, often by reasoning and with mutual concessions: "He recognized the need to conciliate his political opponents" (Robert W. Johannsen).
Appease and placate suggest satisfying claims or demands or tempering antagonism, often by granting concessions: I appeased my friend's anger with a compliment. A sincere apology placated the indignant customer.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pacify
(ˈpæsɪˌfaɪ)vb (tr) , -fies, -fying or -fied
1. to calm the anger or agitation of; mollify
2. (Military) to restore to peace or order, esp by the threat or use of force
[C15: from Old French pacifier; see pacific]
ˈpaciˌfiable adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pac•i•fy
(ˈpæs əˌfaɪ)v.t. -fied, -fy•ing.
1. to bring or restore to a state of peace or tranquillity; quiet; calm.
2. to appease: to pacify one's appetite.
3. to reduce to a submissive state; subdue.
pac′i•fi`a•ble, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
pacify
- Can mean "to subdue by armed action."See also related terms for subdue.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
pacify
Past participle: pacified
Gerund: pacifying
| Imperative |
|---|
| pacify |
| pacify |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. |  pacify - cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; "She managed to mollify the angry customer"calm, still, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize, calm down, quiet, quieten, lull - make calm or still; "quiet the dragons of worry and fear" |
| 2. | pacify - fight violence and try to establish peace in (a location); "The U.N. troops are working to pacify Bosnia" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pacify
verb
1. calm (down), appease, placate, still, content, quiet, moderate, compose, soften, soothe, allay, assuage, make peace with, mollify, ameliorate, conciliate, propitiate, tranquillize, smooth someone's ruffled feathers, clear the air with, restore harmony to Is this just something to pacify the critics?
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
pacify
verbTo ease the anger or agitation of:
appease, assuage, calm (down), conciliate, dulcify, gentle, mollify, placate, propitiate, soften, soothe, sweeten.
Idiom: pour oil on troubled water.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُهَدِّئ
uklidnit
beroligepacificere
friîa; sefa
pacifistaspacifizmassutaikyti
nomierinātsalabināt
yatıştırmak
pacify
[ˈpæsɪfaɪ] VT (= calm) [+ person] → apaciguar, calmar; [+ country] → pacificarwe managed to pacify him eventually → por fin logramos apaciguarlo or calmarlo
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
pacify
vt baby → beruhigen; warring countries → miteinander aussöhnen; area → befrieden; critics → besänftigen; just to pacify the unions → nur damit die Gewerkschaften stillhalten
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
pacify
[ˈpæsɪˌfaɪ] vt (person) → calmare; (country) → riportare la calma in, pacificare; (fears) → placare; (creditors) → ammansireCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
pacify
(ˈpӕsifai) verb to make calm or peaceful. She tried to pacify the quarrelling children.
ˌpacifiˈcation (-fi-) nounˈpacifism noun
the belief that all war is wrong and that one must not take part in it.
ˈpacifist noun a person who believes in pacifism. As a pacifist he refused to fight in the war.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
pacify
vt. apaciguar, tranquilizar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012