Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 01, 2008 is:

assuage • \uh-SWAYJ\  • 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

Example sentence:
After her son's first fender bender, Patty tried to assuage his feelings of humiliation by sharing tales of her own misadventures behind the wheel.

Did you know?
Scholars assume that the word "assuage" derives from "assuaviare," a Vulgar Latin term that combines the prefix "ad-" ("to" or "toward") and the Latin "suavis," meaning "sweet," "pleasant," or "agreeable."("Suavis" is also the source of the adjective "suave.") To "assuage" is to sweeten or make agreeable or tolerable, and it is far from the only English word for relieving or softening something difficult. Others include "allay," "alleviate," and "mitigate." "Allay" implies an effective calming or soothing of fears or alarms, while "alleviate" implies temporary or partial lessening of pain or distress. "Mitigate" suggests moderating or countering the force or intensity of something painful.

*Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence.