allay

allay — verb

1. to make a worried or upset person feel calmer, or to make a difficult feeling su

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to make a worried or upset person feel calmer, or to make a difficult feeling such as fear, doubt, or anger weaker so that it troubles people less.

例句

The mayor spoke on local radio to allay public fears about the new factory.

allay + abstract noun (fears, worries, concerns)

Dr. Camille held the boy's hand to allay his anxiety before the surgery.

同義詞
  • ease

    more general and far more common in everyday speech

  • alleviate

    also formal; often used for pain or hardship as well as feelings

  • calm

    can take a person as object, unlike 'allay'

  • dispel

    stronger; suggests the feeling is removed entirely, not just reduced

反義詞
  • aggravate

    to make a feeling or situation worse

  • stoke

    to deliberately increase a strong feeling such as fear or anger

文法句型

allay + noun (fear, worry, doubt, anger)

用法筆記

Object is almost always an abstract noun for an unwanted feeling or state — fear, fears, anxiety, worry, concern, doubt, suspicion, anger. Common in news and official writing; rare in casual speech, where 'calm down' or 'reassure' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌The mother allayed her crying baby.
✅The mother allayed her baby's distress.
💡the object should be the feeling, not the person.
❌I allayed after hearing the news.
✅My fears were allayed after hearing the news.
💡'allay' is transitive; you cannot use it without an object.