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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pacify
With their help, Spain pacifies China, which becomes the jewel in the Spanish imperial crown and a strategic platform for further conquest.
—
Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
The Gators raced out to a 13-7 lead against the Bulldogs after two quarters, but fans were not pacified by the product on the field.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
To keep the Russian public pacified, the Kremlin ran its military campaign by recruiting volunteers, who were paid quite well, including criminals avoiding prison.
—Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
That transformed the industry by giving it a clear American base — and by pacifying agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission that had been, under Biden, openly hostile.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
The Gators raced out to a 13-7 lead against the Bulldogs after two quarters, but fans were not pacified by the product on the field.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
To keep the Russian public pacified, the Kremlin ran its military campaign by recruiting volunteers, who were paid quite well, including criminals avoiding prison.
—Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
That transformed the industry by giving it a clear American base — and by pacifying agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission that had been, under Biden, openly hostile.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pacify
Verb
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Officials in other sports have gone out of their way to appease the White House.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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The attention attracts con artist Jacob (Robbie Allen), who sends three clumsy thieves led by Kodiak (Richmond) to steal the kangaroo and appease the wealthy Kathryn (Kinmont) and her ailing son.—
William Earl,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The last Winter Olympics, held in Beijing during COVID, were subdued.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2026
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Fans in the arena have been fairly subdued, but an in-house DJ has made a steady stream of dance hits the day’s soundtrack.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The rival bids have drawn scrutiny from antitrust experts and lawmakers, who worry that either death could reduce competition in an entertainment industry already dominated by streaming giants.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Feb. 2026
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It’s speculated that a runaway greenhouse effect took place on Venus long ago, leading to its dense, thick, hot atmosphere, dominated by carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The last hurrah was a free agent spending spree designed to conquer the Dallas Cowboys that resulted in their last championship following the 1994 season, enabling Steve Young to escape the shadow of Joe Montana with a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Miami.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
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The Ovelyn partition divides but doesn’t necessarily conquer your design, thanks to its minimal and timeless silhouette.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Revelations in 2020 that Boohoo’s Leicester contractors were subjecting their workers to exploitative pay and unsafe conditions certainly sullied the Midlands city’s reputation.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
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The environmental group has argued that the exchange of funds between the state and federal governments is the trigger that would subject the Everglades detention center to environmental impact assessment regulations.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pacify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pacify. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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