allay

verb

al·​lay a-ˈlā How to pronounce allay (audio)
ə-
allayed; allaying; allays
Synonyms of allaynext

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

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In addition, Trump disclosed further interest in making a deal with China on TikTok, a potential linchpin in allaying escalating tensions between the two sides. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Apr. 2025 Second round, No. 43: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo Alexander allayed a lot of the small-school concerns about him at the Senior Bowl. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025 The franchise, whose first two installments have combined to gross more than $5.2 billion worldwide, has helped allay at least some criticism of Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025 The Taliban has long sought international recognition and access to frozen central bank reserves to allay a mounting economic crisis. — Eric Tucker The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for allay

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of allay was before the 12th century

Rhymes for allay

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Browse Nearby Words

alla turca
allay
allayment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Allay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allay. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

allay

verb
al·​lay a-ˈlā How to pronounce allay (audio)
ə-
allayed; allaying
1
: to make less severe : relieve
allay pain
2
: to make quiet : calm
allay fears

More from Merriam-Webster on allay

Nglish: Translation of allay for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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