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allay

verb
al·​lay | \ a-ˈlā How to pronounce allay (audio) , ə-\
allayed; allaying; allays

Definition of allay

transitive verb

1 : to subdue or reduce in intensity or severity : alleviate expect a breeze to allay the heat
2 : to make quiet : calm trying to allay their fears

intransitive verb

obsolete : to diminish in strength : subside
Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about allay

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Choose the Right Synonym for allay

relieve, alleviate, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable. took an aspirin to relieve the pain alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. the lotion alleviated the itching lighten implies reducing a burdensome or depressing weight. good news would lighten our worries assuage implies softening or sweetening what is harsh or disagreeable. ocean breezes assuaged the intense heat mitigate suggests a moderating or countering of the effect of something violent or painful. the need to mitigate barbaric laws allay implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms. allayed their fears

Examples of allay in a Sentence

The new advertising campaign is an attempt to allay the public's concerns about the safety of the company's products. a gentle breeze would allay the heat

Recent Examples on the Web

 Houlahan said the road fixes allay some of his uneasiness with drivers speeding down Mast. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Some Santee streets becoming part of national bike route," 3 Sep. 2019 Ultimately, both Britain and the U.S. can take steps to allay some of the concerns over Northern Ireland and its role in trade negotiations. — Chris Gavin, National Review, "Can the U.S. Help the Post-Brexit U.K.?," 13 Aug. 2019 The Indiegogo campaign was designed to allay those doubts. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "The crowdfunded phone of the future was a multimillion-dollar scam," 13 Aug. 2019 Not that D'Onta Foreman figures to challenge Mack on the depth chart, but Indy's quickness in adding the former Texan hardly allays suspicions that Mack will be mired in some sort of committee that includes Nyheim Hines on passing downs. — Des Bieler, chicagotribune.com, "The top fantasy football running backs to draft in 2019," 8 Aug. 2019 Whether this will allay the concerns of the accreditors and the state regulators remains uncertain. — Deirdre Fernandes, BostonGlobe.com, "Hellenic College Holy Cross at risk of losing accreditation," 7 Aug. 2019 Officials have worked to allay those concerns by saying neighborhoods will retain all their powers under the new scheme, though that has done little to calm the skepticism and even rancor expressed by some neighborhood leaders. — oregonlive.com, "Rebutting critics, Chloe Eudaly says ‘nothing is changing’ for Portland neighborhood groups," 31 July 2019 Bond yields rose for the second straight day, allaying traders’ concerns following a steep drop in long-term yields over the past week. — Alex Veiga, The Seattle Times, "S&P 500 posts biggest quarterly gain in a decade; Lyft soars," 31 Mar. 2019 Whether part of the campaign or not, many American colleges have been working double time to allay worries – and to provide opportunities for international and domestic students to interact. — Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, The Christian Science Monitor, "International students to US: Do you really want us?," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'allay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of allay

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

History and Etymology for allay

Middle English alayen, from Old English ālecgan, from ā- (perfective prefix) + lecgan to lay — more at abide, lay

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More Definitions for allay

allay

verb
How to pronounce allay (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of allay

formal : to make (something) less severe or strong

See the full definition for allay in the English Language Learners Dictionary

allay

verb
al·​lay | \ ə-ˈlā How to pronounce allay (audio) \
allayed; allaying

Kids Definition of allay

1 : to make less severe allay pain
2 : to put to rest allay fears

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More from Merriam-Webster on allay

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with allay

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for allay

Spanish Central: Translation of allay

Nglish: Translation of allay for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of allay for Arabic Speakers

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