palliative
/ˈpæl.i.ə.tɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpæl.i.ə.t̬ɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-lē-ˌā-tiv ˈpal-yə-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈpæliətɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpæliətɪv/ (ame, ipa)
palliative — adjective
- palliativepositive
- more palliativecomparative
- most palliativesuperlative
1. used for care, medicine, or treatment that eases pain or other severe symptoms w
used for care, medicine, or treatment that eases pain or other severe symptoms without curing the illness itself
The doctor recommended palliative care to keep Aaron comfortable at home.
palliative care - support that eases suffering without curing
These palliative drugs eased Xiu's breathing problems during the final weeks.
collocation: palliative drugs
The hospital opened a palliative unit for patients with advanced cancer.
Nurses focused on palliative treatment when surgery could no longer help.
- pain-relieving
focuses on reducing pain, often more narrowly than palliative
- supportive
broader term for help that supports comfort or recovery
- soothing
less medical and more general in tone
- curative
aimed at ending the disease rather than only easing symptoms
文法句型
palliative care
palliative treatment
palliative drug
用法筆記
Usually used before nouns such as care, treatment, drugs, or unit. It describes help that reduces suffering, not treatment that removes the disease.
常見錯誤
2. used for an action or measure that calms anger or concern for a while but leaves
used for an action or measure that calms anger or concern for a while but leaves the real problem in place
The mayor's small refund looked like a palliative response to public anger.
palliative response - a gesture that calms people briefly
Workers rejected the bonus as a palliative move before the next strike.
pattern: palliative move
Her apology sounded palliative because the unfair rule stayed unchanged.
The committee offered a palliative compromise instead of fixing the housing shortage.
- effective
actually solves the problem rather than covering it over
文法句型
palliative measure
palliative response
palliative move
用法筆記
This formal sense is often critical. It is used for gestures, policies, or offers that make a situation feel less urgent without solving its real cause.
常見錯誤
palliative — noun
- palliativesingular
- palliativesplural
1. a medicine, treatment, or form of care that reduces pain or other severe symptom
a medicine, treatment, or form of care that reduces pain or other severe symptoms without curing the illness
Morphine is often used as a palliative for patients with severe pain.
use [drug] as a palliative
The clinic added a new palliative to help children sleep more easily.
Doctors explained that the injection was a palliative, not a cure.
During her last month, each palliative brought only short periods of relief.
- painkiller
narrower because it usually means a drug rather than any kind of care
- relief
broader and less formal, focusing on the result rather than the treatment
- supportive care
often names the broader medical support around symptom control
- cure
something that ends the disease rather than only reducing suffering
文法句型
a palliative for [pain / condition]
use [drug] as a palliative
用法筆記
Often used in formal medical writing. It usually refers to something that improves comfort for a patient whose illness cannot yet be cured.
常見錯誤
2. something done or offered to calm a difficult situation for a short time without
something done or offered to calm a difficult situation for a short time without removing its real cause
The tax cut was only a palliative, and prices kept rising.
only a palliative - temporary easing without a solution
Parents saw the earlier curfew as a palliative rather than a real safety plan.
Free bus rides were a palliative while the transport system stayed broken.
His speech offered a palliative but gave no answer to the layoffs.
- solution
an answer that removes the actual cause of the problem
文法句型
only a palliative
see [measure] as a palliative
用法筆記
Used for a step that lowers immediate anger or pressure but fails to solve the deeper difficulty. It is common in political or social criticism.