1
Core action
Make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
Example
Officials released the data to assuage public concern.
assuage
/əˈsweɪdʒ/ · uh-SWAYJverb
Make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
Use assuage to express this relationship precisely: make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
What assuage Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Common construction
Use this expression in its normal grammatical frame so the relationship between the surrounding ideas remains explicit.
Example
Nothing could fully assuage her grief.
3
Reasoning effect
It tells the reader how to interpret the timing, scope, evidence, contrast, condition, or consequence in the statement.
Example
The treatment assuaged the pain without causing drowsiness.
Use assuage Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Officials released the data to assuage public concern.
Nothing could fully assuage her grief.
The treatment assuaged the pain without causing drowsiness.
Precision Matters
Assuage overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
assuage
vs.Means make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
suppress
Means prevent, restrain, stop, or keep something from being expressed, revealed, or developing.
assuage
vs.Means make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
castigate
Means reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
assuage
vs.Means make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
obfuscate
Means make an idea, issue, or statement unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand.
assuage
vs.Means make an unpleasant feeling, fear, pain, or concern less intense; soothe or relieve it.
emollient
Means soothing, softening, or calming, especially to irritated skin or tense feelings.
Test assuage in Context
The publication is intended to lessen and soothe their fears.
1
To ___ residents' fears about contamination, the laboratory published the complete test results.