mollify
/'mɔlifai/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To soothe in temper or disposition; to calm or pacify someone's anger, agitation, or anxiety.
- To reduce the intensity or severity of something; to soften or mitigate harshness, rigidity, or pain.
Usage
The verb "mollify" is used to describe the action of calming a person or softening a situation. It is a formal word often used in contexts involving conflict, criticism, or strong negative emotions. It is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (e.g., mollify someone, mollify anger).
Examples
- Calming a person:
- The manager tried to mollify the upset client with a sincere apology and a refund.
- His gentle words did little to mollify her after the betrayal.
- Softening an effect or condition:
- Adding a bit of honey can mollify the bitterness of the herbal tea.
- The new evidence helped to mollify the judge's initial harsh opinion of the case.
Advanced Usage
- "to mollify concerns/fears": To alleviate or reduce worries or anxieties.
- The government issued a statement to mollify public fears about the economic data.
- "to mollify opposition/critics": To appease or pacify those who are opposed or critical.
- The policy changes were minor concessions designed to mollify the opposition party.
Variants and Related Words
- Mollification (noun): The act of mollifying or the state of being mollified.
- His mollification of the crowd prevented a riot.
- Mollifiable (adjective): Capable of being mollified.
- Fortunately, her anger was mollifiable with a simple explanation.
Synonyms
- Appease: To bring to a state of peace or quiet.
- Placate: To soothe or mollify, especially by making concessions.
- Pacify: To calm the anger or agitation of.
- Assuage: To make less severe or intense; to ease.
- Conciliate: To overcome the distrust or hostility of.
Antonyms
- Aggravate: To make worse or more severe.
- Provoke: To incite to anger or resentment.
- Antagonize: To incur the dislike or hostility of.
- Exacerbate: To increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of.
Notes on Meaning
The core meaning of "mollify" involves introducing a softening or calming element. It implies an active effort to change an emotional state (from anger to calm) or a qualitative condition (from harsh to mild). It does not mean to eliminate completely, but rather to make more tolerable or acceptable.
Verb
- make less rigid or softer
- make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate
- she tempered her criticism
- cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
- She managed to mollify the angry customer