MOLLIFY Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

mollify

verb

ˈmä-lə-ˌfī

Definition of mollify next

as in to appease

to lessen the anger or agitation of an apology would probably mollify your friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe a friendly gesture that did a lot to mollify their suspicions about the new neighbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mollify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mollify are appease, conciliate, pacify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

When is appease a more appropriate choice than mollify?

The words appease and mollify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

When might conciliate be a better fit than mollify?

The meanings of conciliate and mollify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

When is it sensible to use pacify instead of mollify?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollify, pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

When could placate be used to replace mollify?

In some situations, the words placate and mollify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

Where would propitiate be a reasonable alternative to mollify?

The synonyms propitiate and mollify are sometimes interchangeable, but propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mollify But the war room looked, to some, less like a solution and more like a mollifying stunt—a show put on for the press. —

Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2024 The anger in his eyes is not mollified by his charcoal suit, blue shirt, black tie, and black dress shoes. —

Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024 In an August 15 speech, Abe mollified liberals and regional observers by including language seen as essential for acknowledging Japan’s past wrongdoing. —

Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2022 The document could dispel those notions and also mollify some critics who've blasted Harris for not being more detailed about her policy plans if elected. —

Emily Peck, Axios, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mollify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollify

Verb

On Wednesday, Albertsons blamed Kroger for not trying harder to appease wary regulators and therefore breaching its merger agreement to act in good faith.

Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024
Questions about a plan to sell off some stores The judge separately weighed the plan by Kroger and Albertsons to sell hundreds of their stores to a firm called C&S Wholesale Grocers as a condition of their merger, meant to appease regulators.

Alina Selyukh, NPR, 10 Dec. 2024