assuage

USAGE SUMMARY

"assuage" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you are speaking about easing or alleviating a feeling or strong emotion. For example, "The massage therapist was able to assuage the client's intense pain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

David Ford said powers for the head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to oversee NCA inquiries could be put down in legislation to assuage nationalist parties' concerns over the accountability of the agency's operations there.

The Guardian

Instead, it was attempting to assuage concerns about the misuse of genetic information, hoping it would make people more comfortable participating in genetic research and taking advantage of genetic medicine, often cited as the next frontier in healthcare.

The Guardian - Opinion

Speaking to journalists this week, Egypt's foreign minister, Nabil Fahmy, tried to assuage concerns about a media crackdown.

The Guardian

Jacqueline Pata, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, said the tribes have tried to assuage Congressional misgivings, expanding financing and capacity, bolstering indigent legal representation, and changing rules to ensure that non-Indian defendants would face a jury of their peers, Indian and non-Indian alike.

The New York Times

With energy companies this week unveiling a variety of modest price "revisions" to assuage public anger over profiteering in advance of George Osborne's autumn statement on Thursday, the case for a return to local electricity generation to challenge the "big six" is gaining momentum.

The Guardian

Hurd defended it as a necessary shot across the bows of the IRA, but not as a successful ploy for influencing public opinion – although it did temporarily assuage the indignation of the press.

The Guardian - Opinion

Commenting on the rise in US government bond yields, Kevin Ferriter at the thinktank Capital Economics said: "One explanation may be that the rise in the oil price has been large enough to assuage concerns about deflation, but small enough not to choke off the recovery.

The Guardian - Business

To assuage this anger, the authorities pioneered a new strategy of drawing black and Asian communities into the mainstream political process by designating specific organisations or community leaders to represent their interests.

The Guardian - Opinion

The good news for Nick Clegg as he seeks to assuage Lib Dem fears about the stormy year ahead is that Sweden has emerged in good shape from the deep spending cuts that followed a near-catastrophic banking crisis.

The Guardian

Men were permitted, but only on condition that they assuage their male guilt through housework.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That may help to limit the numbers of radicals, but it will not assuage worries.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "assuage" when you want to emphasize reducing the intensity of an unpleasant emotion or situation, often through gentle or calming means.

Common error

Don't use "assuage" when a stronger or more direct action is needed to solve a problem. "Assuage" is better suited for emotional or psychological relief, not fixing tangible issues.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "assuage" is as a transitive verb. Ludwig AI indicates that it is used to lessen the intensity of something negative, such as emotions, concerns, or pain. It requires a direct object to complete its meaning.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Assuage" is a versatile transitive verb that means to lessen the intensity of something unpleasant. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. Predominantly found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts, it serves to provide comfort or relief. While alternatives like "alleviate" and "appease" exist, "assuage" carries a unique nuance of gentle reduction. Remember to use it when aiming to calm emotions or situations, avoiding its application for tangible problem-solving.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alleviate

Focuses on reducing suffering or difficulty, often physical or emotional.

mitigate

Emphasizes reducing the severity or impact of something harmful or negative.

appease

Implies pacifying someone by giving in to their demands or desires.

soothe

Suggests calming or comforting someone who is upset or anxious.

placate

Similar to appease, but often implies a more forceful or strategic attempt to pacify.

mollify

Suggests softening someone's anger or resentment.

pacify

Focuses on bringing peace or tranquility to a situation or person.

relieve

Broadly refers to taking away or reducing something unpleasant.

ease

Implies making something less difficult or burdensome.

allay

Focuses on calming fears or doubts.

FAQs

How to use "assuage" in a sentence?

You can use "assuage" to describe lessening the intensity of something negative. For example, "The company offered a public apology to "assuage customer concerns"".

What can I say instead of "assuage"?

Alternatives to "assuage" include "alleviate", "mitigate", or "appease", depending on the specific context and desired nuance.

Which is correct, "assuage fears" or "assuage anger"?

Both "assuage fears" and "assuage anger" are correct, as "assuage" can be used with a range of negative emotions or states. For example: "The politician made a speech to "assuage fears" over the new policy".

What's the difference between "assuage" and "appease"?

"Assuage" implies a lessening of intensity, while "appease" often suggests satisfying someone's demands, sometimes at the expense of principle.