assuage
uh-SWAYJ
/əˈsweɪdʒ/
To make an unpleasant feeling less intense; to satisfy an appetite or desire.
Used for internal states like guilt, grief, fear, or hunger. It makes a burden feel lighter.
The story behind the word. The root 'suavis' is the same one that gives us 'suave' and 'sweet'. To assuage is literally to 'sweeten' a bitter situation or feeling.
Word relationships
- allay: Allay is specifically for fears and doubts; assuage is broader, covering pain and physical needs like thirst.
- intensify: Intensify means to make a feeling stronger or more acute.
Commonly confused with
- persuade: Persuade is to convince; assuage is to soothe.
Word family
- assuagement (noun): The act of assuaging.
Collocations
- assuage guilt
- assuage fears
- assuage hunger
Example sentences
- "When it healed, and Jem's fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury." From a classic novel.
Memory hook
Assuage sounds like 'a-sweet-age'—making things sweet again. Sweeten the pain to assuage it.
When not to use
Don't use this for stopping a physical fight; use it for internal emotional relief.
Fun facts
- In the Middle Ages, you could assuage your thirst with a drink or assuage a law by making it less harsh.
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