assuage

/ə-ˈswāj/

Middle English aswagen, borrowed from Anglo-French asuager (continental Old French assuagier), going back to Vulgar Latin *assūaviāre, from Latin ad- ad-*-sūaviāre, derivative of Latin sūavis "agreeable to the senses, sweet, pleasant"

verb

  1. to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses) : ease

  2. pacify, quiet

  3. to put an end to by satisfying : appease, quench

unable to assuage their grief

relieve alleviate lighten assuage mitigate allay mean to make something less grievous. relieve implies a lifting of enough of a burden to make it tolerable. alleviate implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress.