To allay something is to put it to rest or to quiet it. This sense of the word is mostly used to talk about laying to rest fear, doubt, suspicion, or anger, possibly by making the emotion seem unjustified. Allay is also used to talk about lessening or mitigating something, such as pain. Soothe is similar (an ointment can soothe sunburned skin, for instance). But a key difference is that soothe is sometimes used to talk about people (rather than their concerns or fears)—and in these cases, it may suggest tranquility and even comfort. A person might be soothed or comforted by a warm cup of tea, for instance, but not allayed.

The verb donate is more specific than give. You can give your payment info to a website or give advice to a friend, but the verb donate instantly suggests supporting a cause or offering help to those in need. To donate something is to present it as a gift, grant, or contribution. This generous verb can be used with or without an object (you can donate clothes or donate to the Red Cross), and is particular to American English.

The adjective unparalleled describes things that stand alone in quality or degree, or, more literally, things that have no parallel. Unprecedented—a word we’ve heard a lot in 2020—describes things that have not happened before, or that have no precedent. A precedent is any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations. Unprecedented is often found near the words history, historic, and historically, which makes sense considering that when something unprecedented occurs, it is, by definition, a first, not yet recorded in the annals of history. Find out why this word was a top trend on Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com in 2020.