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🍼 A baby soother 🕊️ A calming thing 🤝 A peacemaker
pacifier

pacifier

1 7.0
A person who calms people and helps stop conflict
  • noun
  • /ˈpæsɪfaɪər/
: conciliador
  • But narcissistic adults sort of view everyone as pacifiers to turn to when they need to calm down.

We are not designed to be pacifiers and punching bags and mind readers.

Examples

  • In heated discussions, he serves as a pacifier, calming opinions and encouraging compromise.

  • The mediator acted as a pacifier, helping both sides reach an agreement without further conflict.

  • Without the American pacifier, Europe is not guaranteed to remain peaceful.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Should America remain "Europe's pacifier" indefinitely?

    Academic text (2001)

  • But narcissistic adults sort of view everyone as pacifiers to turn to when they need to calm down.

  • "Sorry's not gonna cut it" -- she finds the guys have done a triumphant job with Hope, even managing to get her to spurn her pacifier and go quietly.

    Blog text (10)

  • As a pacifier, she always tries to ease tensions between her friends during disagreements.

Synonyms

peacemaker
vspacifier
24 3.7

A person who helps end arguments and makes people agree

focuses more on calming conflicts than on creating long term peace
appeaser
vspacifier
4 7.6

A person who agrees to others' demands to avoid conflict

tries to calm and resolve conflicts rather than simply giving way
peacekeeper
vspacifier
2 4.1

A person who stops or calms arguments and makes people get along

focuses more on calming disagreements rather than enforcing order
conciliator
vspacifier
1 7.0

A person who helps two people or groups stop arguing and reach an agreement

focuses more on calming immediate tensions than formal negotiation
soother
vspacifier
1 4.2

A person who calms others during arguments or distress

has a wider goal of resolving conflict not only reducing upset
reconciler
vspacifier
1 6.3

A person who helps people become friendly again after a disagreement

aims more at calming conflicts rather than formally rebuilding relations
mollifier
vspacifier
8.2

A person who calms others in tense situations

aims more to bring about peaceful outcomes beyond immediate soothing

Antonyms

aggressor
48 4.9

A person, group, or country that starts a fight

instigator
12 6.8

A person who starts trouble or urges others to act

How Peaceful

peacemaker
24 3.7
pacifier
1 7.0
mediator
45 4.0

Surface Forms

pacifier singular
pacifiers plural

Morphology

pacifier = pacify (transparent) = pacify + er

The word is transparently derived from 'pacify' with the agentive suffix '-er', indicating one who pacifies.

Etymology

Pacifier comes from pacify and the old root pax meaning 'peace', so a pacifier is a person who brings 'peace' or calms a conflict.