Synonyms of allay

allay

verb

a-ˈlā 

as in to alleviate

to make more bearable or less severe

a gentle breeze would allay the heat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• alleviate
• relieve
• help
• soothe
• mitigate
• ease
• assuage
• soften
• mollify
• heal
• improve
• palliate
• cure
• temper
• enhance
• remedy
• lighten
• moderate
• abate
• rectify
• ameliorate
• correct
• amend
• better
• fix
• repair
• refine
• enrich
• perfect
• reform
• emend
• mend
• meliorate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• impair
• hurt
• harm
• injure
• exacerbate
• aggravate
• intensify
• heighten
• sharpen

Synonym Chooser

How is the word allay different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of allay are alleviate, assuage, lighten, mitigate, and relieve. While all these words mean "to make something less grievous," allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms.

allayed their fears

When is it sensible to use alleviate instead of allay?

The synonyms alleviate and allay are sometimes interchangeable, but alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.

the lotion alleviated the itching

Where would assuage be a reasonable alternative to allay?

Although the words assuage and allay have much in common, assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable.

ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat

When is lighten a more appropriate choice than allay?

In some situations, the words lighten and allay are roughly equivalent. However, lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight.

good news would lighten our worries

When could mitigate be used to replace allay?

While in some cases nearly identical to allay, mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful.

the need to mitigate barbaric laws

When would relieve be a good substitute for allay?

The words relieve and allay are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable.

took an aspirin to relieve the pain

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of allay

To allay those concerns, Stanford’s Nick Bloom and his colleagues conducted a randomized experiment where employees were assigned to work in the office five days a week, or told to come in three days a week, based only on their birthdays. —Sarah Green Carmichael, The Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2024

Preparing your child before exposing them to a special effect is a helpful method for allaying anxiety. —Christin Perry, Parents, 20 Sep. 2024

Working from Jeff Nathanson’s screenplay, Jenkins tries to allay a clunky narrative with his intimate and considered style. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024

To be sure, Trump's policies are anticipated to rule the day within his own administration for the next four years, but Kennedy's tour on Capitol Hill could look to allay some concerns voiced by Republicans, including outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell. —Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024