Standard Lemma guide

tranquilize

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈtɹæŋkwɪlaɪ̯z/ without æ-raising
  • [ˈtɹ̝̊wæŋkwɪlaɪ̯z] without æ-raising
  • [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔wæŋkwɪlaɪ̯z] without æ-raising
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, US: /ˈtɹeɪ̯ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z/
  • Canada, US: [ˈtɹ̝̊weɪ̯ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z] ~ [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔weɪ̯ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z]
  • Canada, US: /ˈtɹɛ̃ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z/
  • Canada, US: [ˈtɹ̝̊wɛ̃ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z] ~ [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔wɛ̃ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z]
  • CMU ARPABET: T R AE1 NG K W AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To calm (a person or animal) or put them to sleep using a tranquilizer dart.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The escaped lion was finally tracked down, tranquilized, and safely returned to the zoo.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dart, sedate

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To make (something or someone) tranquil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literary, transitive

Examples

  • 1779, Frances Burney, Evelina, Dublin: Price, Corcoran et al., Volume 2, Letter 14, p. 87, [...] with words of sweetest kindness and consolation, he soothed and tranquilised me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: appease, calm, pacify

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To become tranquil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: calm down, relax

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To dart (a person or animal) with a sedative

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The bear should go down several minutes after being tranquilized.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The patient must be sedated before the operation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sedate, calm, tranquillize, tranquillise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: affect

Narrower terms: hypnotize, hypnotise, mesmerize, mesmerise

6

verb

Meaning 6

make calm or still

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • quiet the dragons of worry and fear

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: calm, calm down, quiet, tranquillize, tranquillise, quieten, lull, still

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: comfort, soothe, console, solace

Narrower terms: lull, compose, pacify, lenify, conciliate, assuage, appease, mollify, placate, gentle, gruntle, reassure, assure

History

Etymology

From Middle French tranquiliser. Analyzable as tranquil + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: упоявам (upojavam) — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Dutch: verdoven — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Finnish: rauhoittaa — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Finnish: antaa rauhoittavia lääkkeitä — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Finnish: antaa rauhoittavaa — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • French: tranquilliser — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Italian: tranquillizzare — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Norman: trantchiliser — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Portuguese: tranquilizar — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Spanish: dormir — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Turkish: sakinleştirmek — to use a drug to sedate a person or animal
  • Bulgarian: успокоявам (uspokojavam) — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Catalan: tranquil·litzar — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Esperanto: trankviligi — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Finnish: rauhoittaa — to make something or someone tranquil
  • French: tranquilliser — to make something or someone tranquil
  • German: ruhig stellen — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Italian: sedare — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Japanese: 鎮める (shizumeru) — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Latin: sēdō — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Maltese: heddel — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Portuguese: tranquilizar — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Spanish: tranquilizar — to make something or someone tranquil
  • Bulgarian: успокоявам се (uspokojavam se) — to become tranquil
  • Finnish: asettua — to become tranquil
  • Finnish: laantua — to become tranquil
  • Finnish: rauhoittua — to become tranquil
  • French: tranquilliser — to become tranquil
  • Bulgarian: успокоявам се (uspokojavam se) — to calm down
  • Finnish: rauhoittua — to calm down
  • French: tranquilliser — to calm down