assuage concerns

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "assuage concerns" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean to make someone's worries less intense or to make an anxious or fearful situation better. Example: The Prime Minister's speech attempted to assuage the public's concerns about the economy.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

But the TARP deal may not assuage concerns about capital.

The New York Times

The government's promises, though, did little to assuage concerns.

The New York Times

Mr. Kerry absorbed these comments before defending the programs and trying to assuage concerns.

The New York Times

7.39pm GMT Feinstein seeks to assuage concerns that the drone program is being run without oversight.

The Guardian

Billups did little to assuage concerns about his health, yielding significant time to Rodney Stuckey.

The New York Times

Perhaps "the conscience of the Senate" will assuage concerns about Gore's unconscionable Asian fund-raising.

The New York Times

Even with the flawed review ending, Mr. Curry voiced hope that regulators' actions would assuage concerns about the foreclosure process.

The New York Times

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

The Guardian

Since then, Ryanair has sought to assuage concerns about competition, lining up buyers for various operations and routes.

The New York Times

Those hasty correctives may or may not assuage concerns elsewhere, but the issue is sensitive among Europe's industrial leaders.

The New York Times

Vatican officials have repeatedly tried to assuage concerns that Benedict could influence the new pope by his proximity.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "assuage concerns" when you want to emphasize actions taken to lessen the intensity of worries or fears, particularly in situations involving public perception or stakeholder relations. For example, a company might release a statement to "assuage concerns" about a new product's safety.

Common error

Avoid using "assuage concerns" when the situation requires a complete elimination of the problem causing the concern. "Assuage" implies a reduction in intensity, not a total removal. If the issue demands a definitive solution, consider stronger verbs like "resolve", "eliminate", or "eradicate" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "assuage concerns" is as a verb phrase where "assuage" acts as a transitive verb taking "concerns" as its direct object. This indicates an action performed to reduce the intensity of worries or anxieties. Ludwig confirms the correct usage of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

8%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "assuage concerns" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as affirmed by Ludwig. It functions as a verb phrase aimed at diminishing worries or anxieties, predominantly found in news and formal business contexts. The phrase carries a neutral to professional register, suitable for public discourse. When employing "assuage concerns", it's essential to ensure the context aligns with the meaning of reducing rather than completely eliminating the concern. Alternatives such as "alleviate worries" or "mitigate doubts" can provide nuanced variations depending on the specific situation. Ludwig's analysis underscores the phrase's validity and practicality in various written contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alleviate worries

Focuses on lessening the intensity of worries, similar to assuaging but can also imply making worries more bearable without necessarily eliminating them.

ease apprehensions

Highlights reducing feelings of anxiety or unease, often suggesting a gentle and gradual calming effect.

dispel anxieties

Emphasizes completely removing anxieties, suggesting a more thorough and decisive action than simply reducing them.

allay fears

Specifically targets the reduction of fears, often used when the concerns are more intense and emotionally driven.

mitigate doubts

Focuses on reducing uncertainty or lack of conviction, especially in situations involving decision-making or trust.

calm fears

Highlights creating a sense of peace and tranquility related to specific fears, often through reassurance or removing sources of alarm.

appease worries

Suggests satisfying or pacifying worries, often implying that actions are taken to meet demands or expectations causing the unease.

placate anxieties

Emphasizes soothing anxieties through concessions or appeasement, potentially indicating a temporary or superficial solution.

soothe concerns

Highlights gently easing worries, often through comforting words or actions that provide emotional relief.

temper anxieties

Implies moderating or controlling strong feelings of anxiety, focusing on restraint and management rather than complete elimination.

FAQs

How can I use "assuage concerns" in a sentence?

You can use "assuage concerns" to describe actions taken to reduce worries or fears. For example, "The company issued a statement to "assuage concerns" about potential layoffs".

What's a more formal alternative to "assuage concerns"?

A more formal alternative to "assuage concerns" is to use phrases like "alleviate worries" or "mitigate doubts", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "assuage" in contexts other than "concerns"?

Yes, "assuage" can be used with other nouns such as "fears" or "anxieties". The key is that it implies a reduction in the intensity of a negative emotion or worry, for example: "to "allay fears"".

What verbs are semantically similar to "assuage"?

Semantically similar verbs include "ease apprehensions", "calm fears", and "placate anxieties". However, each carries slightly different nuances regarding the method and degree of worry reduction.