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

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

2. Allay • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • 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 • The mother quelled her crying daughter with a stern look. • The king traveled to the town himself toquell 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