なだめる

• Reading: なだめる
• Romaji: nadameru
• Pronunciation: /na.da.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To soothe; to calm down; to pacify an upset or agitated person; to appease someone's anger or distress.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb typically written in hiragana. なだめる involves actively trying to settle someone's emotions through words, gestures, or concessions. It is used for calming a crying child, pacifying an angry customer, or tempering a heated argument. The verb implies a deliberate effort to bring a person back to a calmer state, often without necessarily resolving the root cause of the upset. Also written 宥める with kanji.

Examples

1. 泣き続ける子どもをなだめながら、母親は優しく背中をさすってやった。 While soothing her child who would not stop crying, the mother gently rubbed his back.
2. 怒り心頭の顧客をなだめるのに、担当者は一時間以上かかった。 It took the representative over an hour to pacify the furious customer.
3. なだめようとすればするほど、彼の怒りはかえって激しくなっていった。 The more he tried to calm her down, the more her anger seemed to intensify.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, parenting, customer service, conflict resolution

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Likely derived from なだらか (gradual, gentle slope) or related to 和む (nagumu, to soften). The word has been used in Japanese since the Heian period to describe the act of gently reducing tension or agitation, evoking the image of smoothing something rough.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Contemporary

Generation: All ages

Social background: General