Mollify
/ˈmɑːləˌfaɪ/
verbC1
Definition
To mollify someone means to reduce their anger, sadness, or worry. It is often done by speaking softly, offering an apology, or doing something to make the person feel better and more peaceful. It is a way to soothe or soften strong negative feelings.
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See It in Action
To calm or soothe someone's anger or upset feelings
- •She tried to mollify her angry friend with a sincere apology.
- •The manager mollified the upset customer by offering a refund.
- •His kind words mollified the angry crowd.
To reduce the severity or harshness of something (like pain, criticism, or punishment)
- •The doctor gave medicine to mollify the patient's pain.
- •The judge mollified the sentence because of the defendant’s good behavior.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "mollify" like "calm" (A1 word), but more about making angry or upset feelings softer and easier.
- ✓Picture a mother gently holding a crying child to make them stop crying and feel safe.
- ✓It's the feeling you get when someone says sorry or gives you a kind word after a fight.
- ✓Sounds like "MOL-li-fy" → imagine soft, gentle waves (moll = soft) that make a stormy sea calm.
- ✓In stories, a hero might mollify a villain by talking kindly or offering peace.
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (pretending not to see the problem), mollify means actively making feelings better.
- ✓NOT like "force" or "push," mollify is gentle and kind, not strong or rough.
- ✓NOT like "cheer up" (which means to make happy), mollify means to reduce negative feelings, not necessarily create happiness.
Try Other Words
- •Soothe: to make someone feel better or less upset (Use when focusing on reducing pain or discomfort)
- •Appease: to satisfy or calm someone, often by giving what they want (Use when mollifying by giving or agreeing)
- •Pacify: to bring peace or calm, often after anger or conflict (Use when calming groups or situations)
- •Placate: to make someone less angry by giving something or saying something kind (Use when mollifying by making concessions or kindness)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "moll-" (soft, gentle) + "-ify" (to make or cause)
- •Etymology: From Latin "mollificare," meaning "to soften" or "make soft"
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s in English to mean softening feelings or situations
- •Modern usage: Used in formal or written English to describe calming or reducing anger or harshness
- •Key insight: The word focuses on making something less hard or harsh emotionally or physically
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you needed to mollify someone? What did you do or say?
•How is mollifying different from just ignoring a problem or being silent?
Fill in the blanks
1.She tried to mollify her friend’s anger by ___ a sincere apology and ___ to listen carefully.
2.The teacher mollified the upset student by ___ her concerns and ___ a solution.
3.Unlike ignoring a problem, mollify means you ___ the feelings and try to ___ them gently.
4.The manager mollified the angry customer ___ offering a refund and ___ kind words.
5.To mollify pain, doctors often ___ medicine that helps ___ discomfort.
6.When trying to mollify a group, it’s important to ___ their worries and ___ peace.
7.Mollify is different from cheer up because it focuses on ___ negative feelings, not necessarily ___ happiness.