pacify
verb
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Pacify is the oldest of a set of soothing words that floated into English on the buoy of Latin pac- or pax, meaning “peace.” It arrived in the 15th century, and was followed by pacifier and pacific in the subsequent century. These words and other pac-/pax relations have proven useful. While 16th century pacifiers soothed and subdued in general ways, by the turn of the 20th century pacifier was being used with a new meaning referring specifically to a device for a baby to suck on. Also dating to around the turn of the 20th century are pacifist and pacifism. Pay also comes ultimately from this root (by way of Latin pacare, meaning “to pacify”), as does the gentlest of this lexical family, the word peace itself.
Examples of pacify in a Sentence
Kff Health News, Oc Register, 17 July 2025
The response was Pavlovian, the practice ingrained in her by her own mother, who spent much of her time pacifying her insecure and whiny husband.
—Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
Although the frustration of supporters is shared internally, there is no sense of panic — which is unlikely to pacify fans understandably impatient for additions following three successive windows without a first-XI signing.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 July 2025
In the United States, those advocates on the center left and center right share the view that a militarily powerful United States, with a large network of alliances, provides essential, pacifying leadership in global politics.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pacify
Cite this Entry
“Pacify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pacify. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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pacify
verb
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