| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | relieve; lessen |
| Synonyms: | allay, assuage, ease, lighten, mitigate, mollify, pacify, pour oil on, soft-pedal, take the bite out, take the edge off, take the sting out |
| Antonyms: | aggravate, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify |
| Main Entry: | blunt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make dull |
| Synonyms: | attenuate, benumb, cripple, dampen, deaden, debilitate, desensitize, disable, enfeeble, hebetate, numb, obtund, sap, soften, take the edge off, undermine, water down, weaken |
| Antonyms: | needle, point, sharpen |
| Main Entry: | calm |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make composed, quiet |
| Synonyms: | allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, balm, becalm, compose, cool, cool it, cool out, hush, lay back, lull, mitigate, mollify, pacify, placate, quiet, quieten, relax, relieve, sedate, settle, simmer down, soft-pedal, soothe, steady, still, stroke, take it easy, take the edge off, tranquilize |
| Antonyms: | agitate, anger, disquiet, distract, excite, inflame, irritate, outrage, rouse, ruffle, worry |
| Main Entry: | lessen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lower, reduce |
| Synonyms: | abate, abridge, amputate, attenuate, become smaller, clip, close, contract, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, de-escalate, decline, decrease, degrade, die down, dilute, diminish, downsize, drain, dwindle, ease, erode, grow less, impair, lighten, minify, minimize, mitigate, moderate, narrow, roll back, shrink, slack up, slacken, slow down, soft-pedal, take the bite out, take the edge off, take the sting out, taper, taper off, thin, truncate, weaken, wind down |
| Notes: | lessen means to decrease in size, extent, or range, while a lesson is a unit of instruction |
| Antonyms: | enlarge, extend, increase, raise, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | mitigate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | check, diminish, lighten |
| Synonyms: | abate, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, blunt, calm, come together, cool*, dull, ease, extenuate, lessen, meet halfway, moderate, modify, mollify, pacify, palliate, placate, quiet, reduce, relieve, remit, soften, soothe, subdue, take the edge off, temper, tone down, tranquilize, weaken |
| Antonyms: | aggravate, incite, increase, intensify, irritate, worsen |
| Main Entry: | pacify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make peaceful; appease |
| Synonyms: | allay, ameliorate, assuage, bury the hatchet, butter up, calm, chasten, compose, con, conciliate, cool, dulcify, fix up, grease, kiss and make up, lay back, lull, make peace, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacificate, placate, propitiate, put the lid on, qualify, quell, quiet, relieve, repress, silence, smooth over, soft-pedal, soften, soothe, square, still, stroke, subdue, sweeten, take the edge off, tame, temper, tranquilize |
| Antonyms: | agitate, incite, irritate, upset |
| Main Entry: | salve |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | soothe |
| Synonyms: | alleviate, ally, assuage, balm, becalm, calm, calm down, cool off, ease, heal, mollify, pacify, pour oil on, quiet, relieve, settle, smooth down, soften, still, take the edge off, take the sting out of, unburden, untrouble |
| Main Entry: | smooth |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make peace |
| Synonyms: | allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, calm, comfort, cool*, ease, extenuate, facilitate, iron out, mellow, mitigate, mollify, palliate, pat, pave the way, soften, stroke, take the edge off, take the sting out |
| Antonyms: | aggravate, agitate, incite, irritate, upset |
| Main Entry: | soothe |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | calm, ease |
| Synonyms: | allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, balm, becalm, butter up, calm down, cheer, compose, console, cool, cool off, dulcify, help, hush, lighten, lull, make nice, make up, mitigate, mollify, pacify, patch things up, play up to, pour oil on, quiet, quieten, relieve, settle, smooth down, soften, square, still, stroke, subdue, take the edge off, take the sting out, tranquilize, unburden, untrouble |
| Antonyms: | agitate, distress, upset, worry |