assuaged

Assuaged is the past tense and past participle of the verb "assuage". It means to make an unpleasant feeling less intense or severe. When something is assuaged, it is calmed, soothed, or pacified. This can apply to a variety of emotions or sensations, such as fear, anger, hunger, thirst, or guilt. For example, a warm meal might assuage hunger, or a heartfelt apology could assuage someone's anger. The term implies a reduction in the intensity of a negative state.

The word assuage originates from the Old French word "asuager", meaning to soften or relieve. It is often used in contexts where a problem or discomfort is eased through some action or remedy. To assuage a doubt means to alleviate it, making it less troubling. Similarly, assuaging fears involves making them less overwhelming. The core idea is to bring about a state of greater peace or satisfaction by lessening something undesirable.