1 mollification | Definition of mollification
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mollify

verb
mol·​li·​fy | \ ˈmä-lə-ˌfī How to pronounce mollify (audio) \
mollified; mollifying

Definition of mollify

transitive verb

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.
3 : to reduce in intensity : assuage, temper Time mollified his anger.

intransitive verb

archaic : soften, relent
Other Words from mollify Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym The Difference Between Mollify, Appease, and Placate More Example Sentences Learn More about mollify

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Other Words from mollify

mollification \ ˌmä-​lə-​fə-​ˈkā-​shən How to pronounce mollification (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for mollify

pacify, appease, placate, mollify, propitiate, conciliate mean to ease the anger or disturbance of. pacify suggests a soothing or calming. pacified by a sincere apology appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions. appease their territorial ambitions placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill. a move to placate local opposition mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger. a speech that mollified the demonstrators propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being. propitiated his parents by dressing up conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences. conciliating the belligerent nations

The Difference Between Mollify, Appease, and Placate

Mollify, pacify, appease, and placate all mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," although each implies a slightly different way of pouring oil on troubled waters. Pacify suggests the restoration of a calm or peaceful state, while appease implies the quieting of insistent demands by making concessions; you can appease appetites and desires as well as persons. Placate is similar to appease, but it often indicates a more complete transformation of bitterness to goodwill. Mollify, with its root in Latin mollis, meaning "soft," implies soothing hurt feelings or anger.

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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The administration has tried to mollify farmers by rolling out two financial aid packages totaling $28 billion. — Alan Rappeport, BostonGlobe.com, "Farmers’ frustration with Trump grows as US escalates China fight," 27 Aug. 2019 The administration has tried to mollify farmers by rolling out two financial aid packages totaling $28 billion. — Alan Rappeport, New York Times, "Farmers’ Frustration With Trump Grows as U.S. Escalates China Fight," 27 Aug. 2019 Beijing tried to mollify Trump last week by announcing Chinese companies were ready to negotiate with American suppliers of agricultural products. — Washington Post, "US, China revive trade talks with low hopes for progress," 29 July 2019 They were sufficiently mollified to remain out of the fray, but some of the big insurers then did their best to undermine the individual insurance exchanges once they were launched in 2015. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: Health insurance companies are useless. Get rid of them," 5 Aug. 2019 A decade ago, the public option was effectively the left flank for Democrats, a reality made obvious when Obama angered House liberals by jettisoning the provision to mollify some centrist Senate Democrats. — Time, "Joe Biden Draws Line Against Progressives on Health Care With New Proposal," 15 July 2019 This is an obvious cost-cutting measure, but also may mollify to a tiny extent the NIMBYs on the Peninsula. — Gary Richards, The Mercury News, "High-speed rail could run at street level in Bay Area: Roadshow," 9 July 2019 The Knicks did sign Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Louis Bullock and Taj Gibson, but that’s not going to mollify irate Knicks fans. — oregonlive.com, "NBA free agency 2019: Damian Lillard, Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant, New York Knicks among winners and losers after Day 1," 1 July 2019 Last month, Thamer Sabhan, Saudi Arabia’s minister for gulf affairs, joined a delegation of U.S. officials to eastern Syria to mollify tribal representatives from the eastern Syrian province of Dair Alzour frustrated with the SDF. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Whether the U.S. fails or succeeds in Syria, tough choices lie ahead," 1 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mollify.' 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 mollify

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for mollify

Middle English mollifien, from Middle French mollifier, from Late Latin mollificare, from Latin mollis soft; akin to Greek amaldynein to soften, Sanskrit mṛdu soft, and probably to Greek malakos soft, amblys dull, Old English meltan to melt

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More Definitions for mollify

mollify

verb
How to pronounce mollify (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of mollify

: to make (someone) less angry : to calm (someone) down

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

mollify

verb
mol·​li·​fy | \ ˈmä-lə-ˌfī How to pronounce mollify (audio) \
mollified; mollifying

Kids Definition of mollify

: to soothe in temper or disposition

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