1. Words Referring to Lessening Pain, Tension, and Conflict
LESSON 5:
Words Referring to Lessening Pain, Tension, and Conflict

2. Allay To lessen fear or pain; to calm
The government released a report to allay fears about the disease outbreak.
Joe allayed his parents’ concern when he called to let them know he was all right.
A good massage often allays the pain in my back.
Verb
To lessen fear or pain; to calm

3. Alleviate To lessen pain and discomfort
Rebecca often takes Tylenol to alleviate the pain from her headaches.
Looking at pictures of my family alleviated my homesickness.
The government hoped to alleviate unemployment by instituting a new jobs program.
Verb
To lessen pain and discomfort

4. Ameliorate To make better; to lessen pain, difficulty, or tension
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle did much to ameliorate the poor conditions of the meatpacking industry.
Finishing my homework on time helped to ameliorate my low grades.
A good joke always ameliorates Susannah's bad mood.
Verb
To make better; to lessen pain, difficulty, or tension

5. Appease
King John appeased the angry nobles by signing the Magna Carta and granting them rights.
Neville Chamberlain was unable to prevent World War II through his policy of appeasing Hitler.
Alex was able to appease his angry sister by apologizing for their fight.
Verb
To pacify

6. Assuage To alleviate; to lessen pain or conflict; pacify
The only way to assuage my guilt was to confess to what I had done.
The news report assuaged our curiosity about the fire.
Peter’s explanation of the extra charges failed to assuage the customer’s anger.
Verb
To alleviate; to lessen pain or conflict; pacify

7. Conciliate
The managers agreed to make concessions to conciliate the striking workers.
Daniel reached out his hand in a gesture of conciliation.
My best friend and I conciliated after our fight.
Verb
To win a person over through special considerations or persuasive methods; reconcile

8. Mediate To act as a go-between in settling conflicts
The mediator attempted to help the two parties reach a compromise.
Before the United States entered World War I, Woodrow Wilson offered to mediate peace between the warring nations.
My father mediated the argument between my sisters.
Verb
To act as a go-between in settling conflicts

9. Mitigate To make or become less severe; to lessen pain or damage
The criminal avoided a prison sentence because of mitigating circumstances relating to the crime.
Mother Teresa worked to mitigate hunger and suffering in India.
The National Guard’s quick response mitigated the effects of the flood.
Verb
To make or become less severe; to lessen pain or damage

10. Mollify To pacify, soothe, or appease; to make less severe or violent
A pacifier can often mollify a crying baby.
John mollified the effects of unemployment by taking a part-time job.
The businessman would often mollify angry clients by taking them out to dinner.
Verb
To pacify, soothe, or appease; to make less severe or violent

11. Pacify To calm; to make peaceful; to restore to a tranquil state
The Romans were able to pacify Northern Africa by defeating the Carthaginians.
The announcer attempted to pacify the angry crowd when the band arrived late to the concert.
The British army’s attempts at pacification were unsuccessful.
Verb
To calm; to make peaceful; to restore to a tranquil state

12. Placate To make calm; to soothe
Protesters during the Civil Rights Movement were not placated until they received equal rights.
Amy placated her employees by giving them the afternoon off.
A losing baseball team often attempts to placate fans by firing the manager.
Verb
To make calm; to soothe

13. Quell To pacify; to subdue; to quiet down
The mother quelled her crying daughter with a stern look.
The king traveled to the town himself to quell the peasant uprising.
President’s Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” quelled panic among Americans during the Great Depression and World War I.
Verb
To pacify; to subdue; to quiet down