What does “pacify” mean?
- 1
verbto make someone who is angry or upset become calm
The manager tried to pacify the angry customer.
- 2
verbto bring peace to an area, often by military force
Troops were sent to pacify the region.
Pacify at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈpæsəˌfaɪ/ · PAS-uh-fy
- Forms
- pacified, pacifies
How to use “pacify” correctly
In US English a “pacifier” is a rubber teat for a baby (UK: “dummy”).
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- calm
- soothe
- placate
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- provoke
- anger
Word family
- pacifier
- pacifist
- pacification
“pacify” is on these word lists
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