allay

[uh-ley]

verb (used with object)

allayed, allaying 

1. to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet.

   Synonyms: assuage, soften
   Antonyms: excite

2. to lessen or relieve; mitigate; alleviate.

   to allay pain.

   Synonyms: ease, temper, mollify, lighten

allay

/ əˈleɪ /

verb

1. to relieve (pain, grief, etc) or be relieved

2. (tr) to reduce (fear, anger, etc)

Other Word Forms

• allayer noun
• unallayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of allay¹

before 1000; Middle English aleyen, Old English ālecgan to put down, allay ( ā- a- ³ + lecgan to lay ¹ ); spelling -ll- shows influence of the now obsolete allege (< Anglo-French, Old French aleg ( i ) er; allege ) to alleviate, allay

Word History and Origins

Origin of allay¹

Old English ālecgan to put down, from lecgan to _lay ¹

Synonym Study

Allay, moderate, soothe mean to reduce excitement or emotion. To allay is to lay to rest or lull to a sense of security, possibly by making the emotion seem unjustified: to allay suspicion, anxiety, fears. To moderate is to tone down any excess and thus to restore calm: to moderate the expression of one's grief. To soothe is to exert a pacifying or tranquilizing influence: to soothe a terrified child.

Example Sentences

But that did little to allay the concerns of Dermish and his neighbors, who continued to see flares light up the sky and to smell gas wafting over the community.

From Salon

Two weeks ago Pannier-Runacher released another Instagram video in which she tried to allay fears about the orcas' welfare and said regular inspections of the pools were taking place.

From BBC

If Tongue was wild, Atkinson was accurate, allaying any fears about his own lack of cricket.

From BBC

The new rates, while lower than those proposed in April, have done little to allay anxieties.

From BBC

But Fritz, through to the last four at SW19 for the first time, allayed those fears after his victory, saying he just needed taping on his foot redone.

From BBC

Related Words

• alleviate 
• assuage 
• calm 
• ease 
• lessen 
• mitigate 
• mollify 
• pacify