1
as in to appease
to lessen the anger or agitation of
the only thing that would pacify the child and end the tantrum was a new toy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
additional ground forces were needed to occupy those areas that had already been pacified
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacify
Israel may be further from pacifying Gaza than ever.
—
Scott Atran, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2025
Carmichael criticized Christianity for pacifying the oppressed by focusing on suffering and salvation in the afterlife rather than justice in the present.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2025
Because this is not a street brawl where the two sides need to be pacified.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
What ensues is a brawl, with Elisabeth trying to pacify Sue, who has realized what Elisabeth was about to do to her.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacify
Verb
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This year, the airliner, led by CEO Bob Jordan, has tried to increase profits — and appease powerful activist investor Elliott Investment Management — by initiating its first mass layoffs in company history.—
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Lawsuits brought to appease Trump or punish his enemies are brought for an improper purpose.—
Verb
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The clean, modern lines, subdued colors, abundant natural light, and open floor plan all checked out.—
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Looking ahead, Wolf reckoned that EMs can move higher if the U.S. dollar continues to weaken and the impact of tariffs on overall trade is subdued.—
Verb
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This year, he was tasked with conquering the opponent’s best hitters in Game 1, and that doesn’t figure to change.—
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Italy’s style of football is designed to defend, not to conquer.—
Verb
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Fastest car the last couple weeks, been in position to just dominate races.—
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Taylor Swift doesn’t need a new single or album to dominate the charts.—
Verb
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Three former and current volunteer firefighters have filed a lawsuit against an ex-New Jersey police officer and fire official, accusing him of subjecting them to abuse under the guise of training exercises.—
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Another retailer said that along with several tariffs added for Chinese goods, as well as steel and aluminum tariffs, the new port fees would subject some imports to additional duties between 90 and 95 percent.—
Verb
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Both Banchero and Wagner, who started alongside Cory Joseph, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr., were able to overcome the defensive attention from the Kings and attack the basket with ease.—
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Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward overcoming them.—
Verb
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Out of Spokane Regional 1, No. 1 overall seed UCLA advances to their first Final Four in program history in the modern era after defeating No. 3 LSU, 72-65.—
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Orange County officials pitched a sales tax increase to voters that was soundly defeated in 2022.—
Cite this Entry
“Pacify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacify. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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