YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

assuage

Verb

IPA /əˈsweɪdʒ/

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Meaning in plain English

To reduce an unpleasant feeling such as fear, guilt or worry.

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Pronunciation

assuage/əˈsweɪdʒ/

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Someone feels anxious about a journey
A clear explanation reassures them
Their fear becomes less intense

To assuage fear is to reduce it, helping someone feel calmer.

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A reassuring call helped assuage her fears about the journey.
The supervisor answered our questions to assuage concerns about the new system.

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A reassuring call helped ________ her fears about the journey.

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assuage — To reduce an unpleasant feeling such as fear, guilt or worry.

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To reduce an unpleasant feeling such as fear, guilt or worry.

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Word origin

From Old French assouagier, ultimately based on Latin suavis, meaning sweet.

Did you know?

Assuage often combines with fears, guilt, doubts and concerns.

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