MOLLIFYING Synonyms: 203 Similar and Opposite Words

mollifying 1 of 2

adjective

as in conciliatory

tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility a future son-in-law using mollifying flattery to overcome a bad first impression

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mollifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of mollify

as in appeasing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in alleviating

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

Example 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 mollifying

Verb

Netflix’s decision back then was in part aimed at mollifying shareholders, who at the time were flipping out over a slowdown in subscriber growth. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 1 July 2026 The first generation of parents to have resorted, at least occasionally, to mollifying their children by putting digital screens in their hands has now seen those kids grow up. — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026 By many accounts retailers were pleased with their level of business Thanksgiving Day through Saturday, mollifying some concerns that higher prices and economic uncertainties would put a big dent in holiday spending. — David Moin, Footwear News, 30 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollifying

Adjective

For her part, the polarizing Molokoane — who has faced calls for her resignation from industry bodies — struck a conciliatory tone in Durban.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Still, his conciliatory tone in Munich came as a relief to European officials after Vice President JD Vance had used the same stage a year earlier to sharply rebuke the continent's leaders.

— Olivia Gazis, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of conciliatory

Verb

The bill now also includes a compromise on stablecoin yield aimed at appeasing banking interests by directing the Treasury secretary to restrict rewards if deposit flight from community banks occurs on a substantial scale.

— Garrett Downs, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
In 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of appeasing

Verb

These turnovers also set up touchdowns, alleviating the pent-up stress of the first half.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Fostering gives cats a temporary home on the way to adoption, alleviating stress on shelters and, in some instances, saving cats’ lives.

— Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of alleviating

Adjective

For sensitive or dry underarms, the deodorant also uses a soothing blend of shea butter, spirulina, and niacinamide to keep pits comfortable all day long.

— Madison San Miguel, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
On the upside, the villas are one of the more soothing spots for a mild hangover.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of soothing

Verb

The suddenness of it all was terrifying, even paralyzing, and yet, at the same time, oddly relieving.

— Andrew Lipstein, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
Haldea noted that dividend recaps provide liquidity, relieving the pressure to sell without ultimately resolving the valuation gap.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of relieving

Adjective

And there’s something very comforting about going back to those things of our youth that were simpler than things are now — in our personal lives or the world at large.

— Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Those were the comforting words Vision privately offered Wanda in Age of Ultron after her brother Pietro died.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of comforting

Verb

Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.

— Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Ohio isn’t just helping children leave struggling public schools.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of helping

Adjective

Larger-than-life Halloween celebrations rise up every October like the Great Pumpkin (or a benevolent spooky spirit or two) to captivate visitors with parades, caramel apples, costume contests, and more.

— Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026
Promotional images and films conjured a playful, adaptable and benevolent house — plastic as the building block of family happiness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of benevolent

Browse Nearby Words

mollify

mollifying

molls

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mollifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mollifying. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of mollifying

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes