MOLLIFY Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'mollify' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mollify are appease , conciliate , pacify , placate , and propitiate . While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger. // a speech that mollified the demonstrators

Q: When is 'appease' a more appropriate choice than 'mollify'?

The words appease and mollify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions. // appease their territorial ambitions

Q: When might 'conciliate' be a better fit than 'mollify'?

The meanings of conciliate and mollify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences. // conciliating the belligerent nations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pacify' instead of 'mollify'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollify , pacify suggests a soothing or calming. // pacified by a sincere apology

Q: When could 'placate' be used to replace 'mollify'?

In some situations, the words placate and mollify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill. // a move to placate local opposition

Q: Where would 'propitiate' be a reasonable alternative to 'mollify'?

The synonyms propitiate and mollify are sometimes interchangeable, but propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being. // propitiated his parents by dressing up

mollify

verb

ˈmä-lə-ˌfī

Definition of mollify

as in to appease

to lessen the anger or agitation of an apology would probably mollify your friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe a friendly gesture that did a lot to mollify their suspicions about the new neighbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mollify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mollify are appease, conciliate, pacify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

When is appease a more appropriate choice than mollify?

The words appease and mollify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

When might conciliate be a better fit than mollify?

The meanings of conciliate and mollify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

When is it sensible to use pacify instead of mollify?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollify, pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

When could placate be used to replace mollify?

In some situations, the words placate and mollify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

Where would propitiate be a reasonable alternative to mollify?

The synonyms propitiate and mollify are sometimes interchangeable, but propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mollify The vote was largely symbolic but appeared to mollify the president, who earlier in the day canceled a ceremonial signing of a bipartisan housing bill to exert pressure on the Senate to pass an unrelated election law bill. — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Spending too much time on modifying or mollifying faculty — and not enough on student success, including graduation rates — is a cardinal sin for administrators. — Nick Ladany, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026 Or was this a political visit meant to mollify them? — Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 26 May 2026 When presented with a more representative sample of moderate voters, those hard views tend to mollify, the researchers found, as many saw eye-to-eye on several economic and social issues. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mollify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollify

Verb

So her producer, Gary Klein, brought in Al Perkins to appease her with some country-centric steel guitar.

— Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Large pot meals and having a table full of small bites can help appease hangry guests and late arrivals.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of appease

Verb

He was appointed as a special advisor for water infrastructure after last year’s rupture and prepared a report for the government on improvements to alleviate the island’s water problems.

— Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
But the Cloaca Maxima was primarily designed to drain marshland and alleviate flooding.

— Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of alleviate

Verb

Having Maxx Crosby back on the field will help, but improvements need to be made if the Raiders want to be competitive.

— Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The committee would eventually disband without an answer, despite the fact that Selig had helped engineer the sale of the team in 2005 to Lew Wolff, an old University of Wisconsin frat buddy, and John Fisher.

— Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of help

Verb

There might be a best practice emerging with general rules to live by, but the exact products and ingredients that trigger or soothe your skin will be highly individualized.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
And many people feel a teaspoon of honey or perhaps tea with honey can soothe a scratchy throat.

— Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of soothe

Verb

Though the threat of an explosion was mitigated in early June, cleanup didn't begin until the very end of the month.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Under current law, the President has the flexibility to order a limited drawdown, releasing up to 30 million barrels over a 60-day period, to mitigate sudden supply shocks without declaring a full-scale national emergency.

— Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of mitigate

Verb

Anti-anxiety medications, including benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Librium, Xanax and Valium, can work quickly to ease extreme worry, fear, social anxiety or panic attacks.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Bidets may also ease discomfort from hemorrhoids, fistulas and anal fissures, and help people with chronic diarrhea or conditions that require frequent wiping.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of ease

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mollifies

mollify

mollifying

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“Mollify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mollify. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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