ease the pain

Meaning

To make physical pain or emotional distress less severe, intense, or difficult to bear. It is commonly used in medical contexts as well as in comforting someone going through a tough time.

Examples

• The doctor gave her some medication to help ease the pain after surgery.

  The doctor gave her some medication to help ease the pain after surgery.

• Listening to soft music always helps to ease the pain of a headache.

  Listening to soft music always helps to ease the pain of a headache.

• Nothing could ease the pain of losing his beloved pet.

  Nothing could ease the pain of losing his beloved pet.

• They donated money to the family to try and ease the pain of their financial loss.

  They donated money to the family to try and ease the pain of their financial loss.

• A warm bath is a great way to ease the pain of sore muscles.

  A warm bath is a great way to ease the pain of sore muscles.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I took an aspirin to soft the pain.

  ✓ I took an aspirin to ease the pain.

  'Soft' is an adjective, not a verb. The correct verb collocation is 'ease' (or 'relieve', 'reduce').

• ✗ Talking to a friend helped to ease my painings.

  ✓ Talking to a friend helped to ease my pain.

  'Pain' is typically an uncountable noun in this context. 'Painings' is not a word; 'pains' exists but 'ease the pain' is the standard idiom.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Applying ice to the bruise will help to ___.

  💡 Make it hurt less.

  Show answer

  ease the pain

• Kind words from his friends did little to ___ of his rejection.

  💡 Relieve the emotional hurt.

  Show answer

  ease the pain