soothe
Soothe (verb) means to calm someone down or make a painful or unpleasant feeling less intense. Example: “She rocked the baby gently to soothe him.”
How to use soothe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo calm someone, or ease pain or tension.
Word forms
soothed past tense, soothes singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She rocked the baby gently to _____ him.
Etymology
From Old English sothian, "to prove true, confirm" — related to "sooth" (truth). The sense shifted over centuries from "confirm what someone says" to "comfort them," as agreeing with someone naturally calms them down.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for soothe
See all rhymes for soothe →Frequently asked questions
What does “soothe” mean?
The word “soothe” means to calm someone down or make a painful or unpleasant feeling less intense. In plain terms, to calm someone, or ease pain or tension.
How do you pronounce “soothe”?
“Soothe” is pronounced sooth (/suːð/ in IPA).
How do you use “soothe” in a sentence?
Here is “soothe” used in a sentence: “She rocked the baby gently to soothe him.”
What part of speech is “soothe”?
“Soothe” is a verb.
Where does the word “soothe” come from?
The word “soothe” comes from Old English. From Old English sothian, "to prove true, confirm" — related to "sooth" (truth). The sense shifted over centuries from "confirm what someone says" to "comfort them," as agreeing with someone naturally calms them down.
How many meanings does “soothe” have?
“Soothe” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to calm someone down or make a painful or unpleasant feeling less intense.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include soothe: