Vocabulary in context
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Assuage
To make something less severe or painful; to relieve or ease (emotions, pain, hunger, or discomfort).
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Imagine This
A starving kid temporarily relieved his hunger when he stared at the sausages hanging inside the poultry shop.
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Sounds Like
uh-SWAYJ
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Looks Like
A sausage
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Remember This
Assuage derives from Old French and Latin roots meaning to soothe or sweeten; it refers to easing distress rather than fully satisfying something.
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Other Forms
assuagementnoun
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Connect With
Relieve, ease, alleviate, soothe, mitigate
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Note
Assuage is transitive and requires a direct object (assuage someone's fear, pain, or hunger). It does not mean to fully satisfy; for hunger, 'sate' or 'fulfill' would be more precise.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The company issued measures to assuage customers' concerns about product safety.
- A gentle talk from the coach helped assuage the players' anxiety before the game.
Synonyms
alleviaterelieveeasemitigatesoothe
Antonyms
exacerbateaggravateintensify
Etymology
From Old French assuagier 'to soothe', from Late Latin assuagare, from Latin suavis 'pleasant, sweet'.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: The word sounds like 'a sausage'—imagine a sausage soothing a hungry person, which helps you remember that assuage means to ease or relieve.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Mitigate
verbTo make something less severe, harmful, or harsh; to alleviate or reduce the impact of an adverse condition.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
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