Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mollify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mollify are appease, conciliate, pacify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

When is appease a more appropriate choice than mollify?

The words appease and mollify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

When might conciliate be a better fit than mollify?

The meanings of conciliate and mollify largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

When is it sensible to use pacify instead of mollify?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollify, pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

When could placate be used to replace mollify?

In some situations, the words placate and mollify are roughly equivalent. However, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

Where would propitiate be a reasonable alternative to mollify?

The synonyms propitiate and mollify are sometimes interchangeable, but propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mollify Per his deal, he was awarded a new Lowrey electronic organ and was paid an additional $10 per week to give his bandmates music lessons (and mollify the concerns of his dubious parents). Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2025 Choi’s suggestions haven’t mollified Young Poong and MBK Partners. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 20 Jan. 2025 The improved league form will do something to mollify that, but only a bit. Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025 Along those lines, a settlement should not be confused with a collective bargaining agreement, which pro teams and unionized employees extinguish or mollify a broader range of potential claims. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mollify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollify
Verb
  • The key lesson of Munich is that appeasing aggressive authoritarian regimes in the hope of preserving peace emboldens them to pursue even greater acts of expansion and violence.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The compromise appeased Luna, but not the Democratic sponsors of the underlying legislation — Reps. Brittany Pettersen (Colo.) and Sara Jacobs (Calif.) — who are accusing Johnson of watering down their parental-empowerment proposal while abandoning lawmakers with young families.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But, in an effort to alleviate some of the insult to injury this task requires, reach for your pile of leftover cardboard instead.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025
  • If your solution doesn’t alleviate their pain, you'll get ignored.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Rather than rising up and killing its former masters, Murderbot just goes about performing its security work, relieving the boredom by watching a lot of entertainment media.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Trump rejected a 90-day pause in tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday, a bit of rumor that briefly relieved agitated financial markets before it was promptly dismissed by the White House as fiction.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This helps put big companies and small companies on a level playing field.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Diners are invited to join the chef in the kitchen, help prepare the meal and document the experience for social media.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Cooling, calming, and tailor-made for sensitive skin, this mask drapes delicately across your face to deliver a serious hit of cica (Centella asiatica) and allantoin—soothing redness and dryness in minutes.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025
  • According to tradition, soaking in a hot bath infused with these therapeutic salts allows the magnesium and sulfur to penetrate the skin, soothing muscles, detoxing the body, and easing stress.
    Alice Nardiotti, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Developing comprehensive health insurance schemes can mitigate financial risks associated with medical expenses and improve healthcare accessibility.​ 3.
    Sylvana Quader Sinha, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Bypassing the need to downlink data to ground stations scattered around the world will also mitigate security concerns, such as possible interception of data by adversary actors.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Every contribution made through our GoFundMe will ease their financial burden and honor Deacon Eddie's incredible legacy of love and service.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Getting Mitchell off the ball more also balanced the offense and eased the load on Mitchell’s balky knees … and worked so well that the Cavs led the league in offensive efficiency.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mollify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mollify. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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