Soothe — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈsüt͟h/

Meaning & Definition of Soothe

Soothe (verb)

  1. to please by or as if by attention or concern, placate
  2. relieve, alleviate
  3. to bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to

Soothe (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to ease the grief or distress of

    "there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents"

    similar: assure, cheer, comfort, console, reassure, solace
    related: commiserate, condole, empathize, sympathize, boost, buoy (up), elevate, lift, uplift, allay, alleviate, assuage, relieve, calm, quiet, relax, tranquilize
    opposite: distress, torment, torture, trouble
    near: demoralize, discourage, dishearten, fret, upset, worry, aggravate, intensify, worsen, annoy, irk, irritate, harass, pester

  2. to free from distress or disturbance

    "soothed the baby with a bottle"

    similar: becalm, calm, compose, lull, lullaby, quiet, quieten (chiefly British), salve, settle, still, tranquilize
    related: appease, conciliate, hush, mollify, pacify, placate, allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, lay, mitigate, quell, relax, relieve, solace, narcotize, sedate, stupefy
    opposite: agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, key (up), perturb, upset, vex
    near: aggravate, heighten, intensify, arouse, excite, foment, incite, rouse, stir (up), work up

  3. to make more bearable or less severe

    "hot tea with honey will soothe a sore throat"

    similar: allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, help, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve
    related: abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper, cure, heal, remedy, amend, correct, emend, fix, mend, rectify, reform, repair, ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine
    opposite: aggravate, exacerbate
    near: harm, hurt, impair, injure, heighten, intensify, sharpen

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Soothe

The most common words with a similar meaning to Soothe:

Chiefly British: quieten
assure, cheer, comfort, console, reassure, solace, becalm, calm, compose, lull, lullaby, quiet, salve, settle, still, tranquilize, allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, help, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Soothe

Words with the opposite meaning of Soothe:

distress, torment, torture, trouble, agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, key (up), perturb, upset, vex, aggravate, exacerbate

Related Words for Soothe

commiserate, condole, empathize, sympathize, boost, buoy (up), elevate, lift, uplift, relax, appease, conciliate, hush, pacify, placate, lay, quell, narcotize, sedate, stupefy, abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper, cure, heal, remedy, amend, correct

Near Antonyms of Soothe

demoralize, discourage, dishearten, fret, worry, intensify, worsen, annoy, irk, irritate, harass, pester, heighten, arouse, excite, foment, incite, rouse, stir (up), work up, harm, hurt, impair, injure, sharpen

Word Forms of Soothe

Inflections: soothed, soothing

Derived words: soother (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Soothe

Middle English sothen to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth

First known use: 1617t

Frequently Asked Questions about Soothe

What does "Soothe" mean?

"Soothe" means to please by or as if by attention or concern, placate. As a verb, it is defined as: to please by or as if by attention or concern, placate. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Soothe"?

Other words for "Soothe" include assure, cheer, comfort, console, reassure, solace, becalm and calm. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Soothe" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Soothe"?

There are 70 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Soothe". Common alternatives include assure, cheer, comfort, console, reassure, solace, becalm, calm, compose and lull.

What is the opposite of "Soothe"?

Antonyms of "Soothe" include distress, torment, torture, trouble, agitate, discompose, disquiet and disturb. Near antonyms include demoralize, discourage, dishearten and fret.

How do you use "Soothe" in a sentence?

Examples of "Soothe" in a sentence: "there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents"; "soothed the baby with a bottle"; "hot tea with honey will soothe a sore throat".

Is "Soothe" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Soothe" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Soothe"?

"Soothe" is pronounced /ˈsüt͟h/.

What is the origin of the word "Soothe"?

"Soothe" comes from Middle English sothen to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth. First known use: 1617t.