soothe Meaning & Definition
What Does Soothe Mean?
Soothe is used as a verb meaning to please by or as if by attention or concern. It is also used to mean relieve, alleviate.
Soothe: Key Facts
| Part of speech | verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈsüt͟h/ |
| Synonyms | solace, comfort and console |
| Antonyms | irritate, distress and torment |
| Verb forms | soothes, soothing, soothed |
Soothe Definition (Verb)
- to please by or as if by attention or concern : placate
- relieve, alleviate
soothe a cough
- to bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to
music soothes the soul
- to bring peace, composure, or quietude
Synonyms of Soothe
Antonyms of Soothe
Soothe in a Sentence
soothe a cough
music soothes the soul
there seemed to be no words sufficient to soothe the bereaved parents
soothed the baby with a bottle
hot tea with honey will soothe a sore throat
Word Forms & Grammar
soothed
sooth·ing
sooth·er noun
soothe
soother
soothers
soothes
soothing
soothe (third-person singular simple present soothes, present participle soothing, simple past and past participle soothed)
Words That Rhyme With Soothe
Origin of Soothe
Origin 1: Middle English sothen to verify, from Old English sōthian, from sōth
Origin 2: From Middle English sothen (“to verify, prove the validity of”), from Old English sōþian (“to verify, prove, confirm, bear witness to”), from Proto-West Germanic *sanþōn, from Proto-Germanic *sanþōną (“to prove, certify, acknowledge, testify”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”). Cognate with Danish sande (“to verify”), Swedish sanna (“to verify”), Icelandic sanna (“to verify”). See also sooth. Displaced Old English frēfran, ġefrēfran (“to comfort, console, soothe”), and partially displaced Old English stillan, ġestillan (“to calm, become calm, pacify, quieten”) (whence modern still).
Origin 3: The semantic evolution of "to verify, prove the validity of" → "to comfort" (first attested in the late 17th century) comes from the notion of assuaging someone by supporting the truth of what they say.
First Known Use
1617t
Soothe: Your Questions Answered
What part of speech is soothe?
Soothe is a verb.
What is another word for soothe?
Close synonyms of soothe are solace, comfort and console. See the full list of soothe synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of soothe?
Words opposite in meaning to soothe are irritate, distress, torment and torture.
What is the past tense of soothe?
The past tense of soothe is soothed. The present participle is soothing.