1. Vocab 5

2. Words Related to Lessening Pain, Tension, and/or Conflict 1. Allay vb. To lessen fear; to calm; to relieve pain The recorded sound of waterfalls and breaking waves is said to allay stress. 2. Alleviate vb. To lessen pain or discomfort Grandma takes pills to alleviate her arthritic pain. 3. Ameliorate vb. To make better; lessen pain, difficulty, or tension The doctor prescribed a new ointment to amellorate the rash on my legs. 4. Appease vb. To make tranquil or quiet, especially by giving into another’s demands; to pacify What did Albert do to appease his parents? He offered to cook them a gourmet dinner. 5. Assuage vb. To alleviate; to lessen pain or conflict; pacify Listening to my tale of woe may help to assuage your own troubles 6. Conciliate vb. To win a person over through special considerations or persuasive methods; reconcile He toned down the harsh language with some conciliatory words such as “sorry” and “please.”

3. Words Related to Lessening Pain, Tension, and/or Conflict 7. Mediate vb. To act as a go-between in settling conflicts or disputes between people or opposing sides To be an effective mediator, it helps to have experience in resolving conflicts. 8. Mitigate vb. To make or become less severe; to lessen pain or damage A sudden shift in the wind mitigated the intensity of the storm. 9. Mollify vb. To pacify, soothe, or appease; to make less severe or violent Jay mollified his mother by bringing home all A’s on his report card. 10. Pacify vb. To calm; to make peaceful; to restore to a tranquil state Mother pacified her crying baby by rubbing his tummy. 11. Placate vb. To make calm; to soothe What can be done to placate impatient drivers caught in a traffic jam? 12. Quell vb. To pacify; to subdue; to quiet down A nightlight helped to quell the baby’s fear of the dark.