Word
pacify
Phoneticspaci·fy
US/ˈpæsəˌfaɪ/
UK/pˈæsɪfˌaɪ/
Definition
v. to make someone stop being angry or upset. You use this when you want to calm a person or a situation down.
v. to act in a way that causes someone to stop being angry or violent. Transitive — requires a direct object, typically a person or a group.
Examples
“The nurse tried to pacify the crying baby with a soft toy.”
“The manager had to pacify the angry customers by offering them a full refund and a gift card.”
“Diplomats worked for weeks to pacify the regional tensions, eventually securing a ceasefire that allowed humanitarian aid to reach the affected population.”
Examples
simple
“The nurse tried to pacify the crying baby with a soft toy.”
contextual
“The manager had to pacify the angry customers by offering them a full refund and a gift card.”
complex
“Diplomats worked for weeks to pacify the regional tensions, eventually securing a ceasefire that allowed humanitarian aid to reach the affected population.”
Etymology
From Middle French pacifier, from Latin pāx (“peace”) + faciō (“I do, make”). Cognate with pay and peacify.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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