Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
mollify
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 7, 2007 is:
mollify \MAH-luh-fye\ verb
1 : to soothe in temper or disposition : appease
2 : to reduce the rigidity of : soften
3 : to reduce in intensity : assuage, temper
Examples:
The clerk tried his best to mollify the irate customer.
Did you know?
"Mollify," "pacify," "appease," and "placate" all mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," although each implies a slightly different way of pouring oil on troubled waters. "Pacify" suggests the restoration of a calm or peaceful state, while "appease" implies the quieting of insistent demands by making concessions; you can appease appetites and desires as well as persons. "Placate" is similar to "appease," but it often indicates a more complete transformation of bitterness to goodwill. "Mollify," with its root in Latin "mollis," meaning "soft," implies soothing hurt feelings or anger.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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