verb
assuage
uh-SWAYJ
Assuage (verb) means to make an unpleasant feeling, such as fear, guilt, or grief, less intense. Example: “Her kind words helped assuage his guilt.”
verb
1
To make an unpleasant feeling, such as fear, guilt, or grief, less intense.
"Her kind words helped assuage his guilt."
"The company issued a statement to assuage investors' fears."
2
To satisfy a need or appetite, such as hunger or thirst.
"A quick snack assuaged his hunger until dinner."
How to use assuage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo ease or calm a bad feeling, or to satisfy a need.
Memory tip
Almost always used with negative feelings — fear, guilt, grief, anger — that get softened, not with positive ones.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
assuage fears
assuage guilt
assuage concerns
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- assuages
- Past tense
- assuaged
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her kind words helped _____ his guilt.
Etymology
From Old French asuagier ("to calm, appease"), from Vulgar Latin *assuaviare, from Latin ad- plus suavis ("sweet, pleasant").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for assuage
See all rhymes for assuage →Frequently asked questions
What does “assuage” mean?
The word “assuage” means to make an unpleasant feeling, such as fear, guilt, or grief, less intense. In plain terms, to ease or calm a bad feeling, or to satisfy a need.
How do you pronounce “assuage”?
“Assuage” is pronounced uh-SWAYJ (/əˈswɑʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “assuage” in a sentence?
Here is “assuage” used in a sentence: “Her kind words helped assuage his guilt.”
What part of speech is “assuage”?
“Assuage” is a verb.
Where does the word “assuage” come from?
The word “assuage” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French asuagier ("to calm, appease"), from Vulgar Latin *assuaviare, from Latin ad- plus suavis ("sweet, pleasant").
How many meanings does “assuage” have?
“Assuage” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make an unpleasant feeling, such as fear, guilt, or grief, less intense.
