Soothing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈsü-t͟hiŋ/ sooth·ing

Meaning & Definition of Soothing

Soothing (adjective)

  1. tending to soothe; also, having a sedative effect

Soothing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress

    "the soothing music eventually put the entire yoga class in the proper mood"

    similar: calming, comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing
    related: hypnotic, opiate, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, deadening, depressant, numbing, antianxiety, antidepressant, antidepression, antistress
    near: painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, unsettling, worrisome, energizing, invigorating, stimulant, stimulating, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, grating, harassing, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, troublesome, vexatious, vexing

  2. not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect

    "spoke to the boy in a soothing voice"

    similar: balmy, benign, bland, delicate, gentle, light, mellow, mild, nonabrasive, soft, tender
    related: calm, pacific, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, tranquil, clement, compassionate, easy, lenient, merciful, buffering, cushioning, emollient, softening, sleek, slick, smooth
    opposite: abrasive, caustic, coarse, hard, harsh, rough, scathing, stern, ungentle
    near: exquisite, fierce, intense, powerful, severe, forceful, forcible, savage, violent, roughened, rugged, strong, abrading, irritating, roughening, grim, gruff, rude, stiff, heavy-handed, oppressive, pitiless, tyrannical

Soothing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in calming, salving

    similar: calming, salving, appeasement, assuagement, decrease, diminishment, mitigation, moderation, mollification, alleviation, comfort, ease, release, relief
    opposite: discomfort, unrest, agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment, torture, ache, pain, pang, prick, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

Soothing (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: assuring, cheering, comforting, consoling, reassuring, solacing
    related: commiserating, condoling, empathizing, sympathizing, boosting, buoying (up), elevating, lifting, uplifting, allaying, alleviating, assuaging, relieving, calming, quieting, relaxing, tranquilizing
    opposite: distressing, tormenting, torturing, troubling
    near: demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, fretting, upsetting, worrying, aggravating, intensifying, worsening, annoying, irking, irritating, harassing, pestering

  2. to free from distress or disturbance

    "soothed the baby with a bottle"

    similar: becalming, calming, composing, lullabying, lulling, quietening (chiefly British), quieting, salving, settling, stilling, tranquilizing
    related: appeasing, conciliating, hushing, mollifying, pacifying, placating, allaying, alleviating, assuaging, easing, laying, mitigating, quelling, relaxing, relieving, solacing, narcotizing, sedating, stupefying
    opposite: agitating, discomposing, disquieting, disturbing, keying (up), perturbing, upsetting, vexing
    near: aggravating, heightening, intensifying, arousing, exciting, fomenting, inciting, rousing, stirring (up), working up

  3. to make more bearable or less severe

    "hot tea with honey will soothe a sore throat"

    similar: allaying, alleviating, assuaging, easing, helping, mitigating, mollifying, palliating, relieving
    related: abating, lightening, moderating, softening, tempering, curing, healing, remedying, amending, correcting, emending, fixing, mending, rectifying, reforming, repairing, ameliorating, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, refining
    opposite: aggravating, exacerbating
    near: harming, hurting, impairing, injuring, heightening, intensifying, sharpening

Related Entry: Soothe (verb)

Soothe is a different word from Soothing. The synonyms below are for soothe, not for soothing.

  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 Soothing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Soothing:

Chiefly British: quietening
calming, comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative, tranquilizing, balmy, benign, bland, delicate, gentle, light, mellow, mild, nonabrasive, soft, tender, salving, appeasement, assuagement, decrease, diminishment, mitigation, moderation, mollification, alleviation, comfort, ease, release, relief, assuring, cheering, consoling, reassuring, solacing, becalming

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Soothing

Words with the opposite meaning of Soothing:

abrasive, caustic, coarse, hard, harsh, rough, scathing, stern, ungentle, discomfort, unrest, agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment, torture, ache, pain, pang, prick, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge, distressing, tormenting, torturing

Related Words for Soothing

hypnotic, opiate, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, deadening, depressant, numbing, antianxiety, antidepressant, antidepression, antistress, calm, pacific, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, tranquil, clement, compassionate, easy, lenient, merciful, buffering, cushioning, emollient, softening, sleek, slick

Near Antonyms of Soothing

painful, stressful, tiresome, trying, unsettling, worrisome, energizing, invigorating, stimulant, stimulating, annoying, bothersome, exasperating, frustrating, galling, grating, harassing, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, troublesome, vexatious, exquisite, fierce, intense, powerful, severe, forceful, forcible

Word Forms of Soothing

Derived words: soothingly (adverb), soothingness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Soothing

First known use: 1700

Frequently Asked Questions about Soothing

What does "Soothing" mean?

"Soothing" means tending to soothe; also, having a sedative effect. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: tending to soothe; also, having a sedative effect. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Soothing"?

Other words for "Soothing" include calming, comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting and relaxing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Soothing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Soothing"?

There are 126 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Soothing". Common alternatives include calming, comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative and tranquilizing.

What is the opposite of "Soothing"?

Antonyms of "Soothing" include abrasive, caustic, coarse, hard, harsh, rough, scathing and stern. Near antonyms include painful, stressful, tiresome and trying.

How do you use "Soothing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Soothing" in a sentence: "the soothing music eventually put the entire yoga class in the proper mood"; "spoke to the boy in a soothing voice"; "there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents".

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

"Soothing" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Soothing"?

"Soothing" is pronounced /ˈsü-t͟hiŋ/ and divided into syllables as sooth·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Soothing"?

First known use: 1700.