Allay

/əˈleɪ/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to diminish or put to rest (fear, suspicion, or worry)

The manager spoke to the team to allay their concerns about the upcoming project changes.

to alleviate or relieve pain or discomfort

She took a warm bath to allay the tension in her muscles after a long day.

to calm or pacify someone

The doctor tried to allay the patient's anxiety before the surgery.

to lessen the intensity of something

He hoped that the new policy would allay public fears about the safety of the product.

to reduce or mitigate

Efforts were made to allay the impact of the natural disaster on the local communities.

Middle English, from Old English 'aleggen', meaning to lay down.

allay one's fears:

to relieve someone's concerns or worries.

allay concerns:

to calm or reduce concerns someone may have.

allay doubts:

to dispel or diminish any uncertainties.

to chill out

He just needs to allay and not overthink things.

to ease up

Let's allay the stress before the big meeting.