allay

[uh-ley] / əˈleɪ /

VERB

reduce something, usually a pain or a problem

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alleviate assuage calm ease lessen mitigate mollify pacify

STRONG

abate compose decrease lighten moderate quiet square

WEAK

cool out make nice play up to pour oil on take the bite out take the sting out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aggravate agitate incite increase intensify irritate upset worry worsen

STRONG

enlarge

WEAK

provoke stir

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If you suspect you’ll have a high tax bill, filing an extension probably won’t allay your concern.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

But Walsh has sought to allay concerns, saying that airlines could withstand the fuel price shock.

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

Messrs. Schmidt and Gates may think they can allay the fear and despair they’ve helped to inspire by issuing a few oracles on the unwisdom of catastrophism.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Spanish officials have sought to allay concerns about the ship's arrival, laying out in detail the containment precautions being taken.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

As rumors circulated about the dangers of the new product, ethyl’s ebullient inventor, Thomas Midgley, decided to hold a demonstration for reporters to allay their concerns.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Vocabulary lists containing allay

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

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Grade 11, List 6

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Twelfth Night

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