mollify
verb
mol·li·fy
ˈmä-lə-ˌfī 
mollified; mollifying
1
: to soothe in temper or disposition : appease
mollified the staff with a raise
2
: to reduce the rigidity of : soften
Shaving cream mollifies the beard.
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The Difference Between Mollify, Appease, and Placate
Mollify, like its synonyms pacify, appease, and placate, means "to ease the anger or disturbance of." But mollify is particularly well-suited for referring to an act of soothing hurt feelings or anger; it comes from the Latin mollis, meaning "soft."
Synonyms
Examples of mollify in a Sentence
He tried to mollify his critics with an apology.
All attempts to mollify the extremists have failed.
The landlord fixed the heat, but the tenants still were not mollified.
Recent Examples on the Web
That did nothing to mollify civic leaders such as Mahan, Torres’ colleagues on the City Council, the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, and the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, all of whom called on Torres to resign from his council seat.
—
Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for mollify 
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Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for mollify
Dictionary Entries Near mollify
Cite this Entry
“Mollify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mollify. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mollify
verb
mol·li·fy
ˈmäl-ə-ˌfī
mollified; mollifying
1
: to reduce the harshness or violence of
2
: to soothe in temper or disposition : conciliate
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