mollify
verb
mol·li·fy
ˈmä-lə-ˌfī 
mollified; mollifying
1
: to soothe in temper or disposition : appease
mollified the staff with a raise
2
: to reduce the rigidity of : soften
Shaving cream mollifies the beard.
Did you know?
Mollify is particularly well-suited for referring to the action of soothing emotional distress or anger and softening hard feelings: the word comes from the Latin adjective mollis, meaning "soft." Mollis is also the root of the English adjective emollient, used to describe something (such as a hand lotion) that softens or soothes, and the noun mollusk, which refers to any one of a large group of animals (such as snails and clams) that have a soft body without a backbone and that usually live in a shell.
Examples of mollify in a Sentence
He tried to mollify his critics with an apology.
All attempts to mollify the extremists have failed.
The landlord fixed the heat, but the tenants still were not mollified.
Recent Examples on the Web
Live records could also be a way of fulfilling a contractual obligation (too many examples to cite) or a way to mollify fans who were going to have to wait a while for another studio record (Fleetwood Mac’s 1980’s concert record, which bridged the gap between Tusk and Mirage).
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
The move has been accompanied by a pledge to spend $100 billion on facilities in the U.S., one of many Big Tech promises aimed at mollifying President Donald Trump, who has run hot and cold on the sector during his two terms.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
To help mollify the community, Activision announced that all the guns and Operator skins from MWII would carry over to MWIII.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Although an apolitical military appeals to democracies such as the United States, this trend would have startled rather than mollified Xi.
—Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mollify
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David Browne, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025
The move has been accompanied by a pledge to spend $100 billion on facilities in the U.S., one of many Big Tech promises aimed at mollifying President Donald Trump, who has run hot and cold on the sector during his two terms.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
To help mollify the community, Activision announced that all the guns and Operator skins from MWII would carry over to MWIII.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Although an apolitical military appeals to democracies such as the United States, this trend would have startled rather than mollified Xi.
—Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mollify
Cite this Entry
“Mollify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mollify. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mollify
verb
mol·li·fy
ˈmäl-ə-ˌfī
mollified; mollifying
1
: to reduce the harshness or violence of
2
: to soothe in temper or disposition : conciliate
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