palliatives
Easing without curing
Palliatives are things that reduce suffering without addressing the underlying cause.
The term comes from medicine, where palliative care focuses on comfort rather than cure for terminal patients.
More broadly, palliatives are stopgap measures: The tax cuts were palliatives that didn't fix the structural deficit.
The word often carries a dismissive edge—implying that real solutions are needed.
Pain-relieving medication
- anodyneRelieves pain or offense
- sedativeDrug promoting calm
- pain reliefEasing of discomfort
- morphineOpioid analgesic medication
hospice · comfort care · opioid · tranquilizer · numbing · dosage · medication · prescription
Temporary substitute measure
- band-aidAdhesive strip for cuts
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
- interimProvisional in-between phase
short-term · superficial · inadequate · half-measure · expedient · workaround · patch · token gesture
Healing topical preparation
- reliefEasing of distress
- alleviationReduction of intensity
- easingReducing strain or difficulty
- calmingInducing a settled state
alleviating · mitigating · assuaging · allaying · pacifying · quelling · softening · cushioning
Comfort during distress
- solaceRelief from distress
- reassuranceWords meant to calm
- comfortEase or soothing relief
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
empathy · compassion · support · kindness · warmth · care · nurture · gentleness
analgesic
Pain-relieving medication
- anodyneRelieves pain or offense
- sedativeDrug promoting calm
- pain reliefEasing of discomfort
morphine · hospice · comfort care · opioid · tranquilizer · numbing · dosage · medication · prescription · pharmaceuticals
stopgap
Temporary substitute measure
- band-aidAdhesive strip for cuts
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
interim · short-term · superficial · inadequate · half-measure · expedient · workaround · patch · token gesture · placeholder
balm
Healing topical preparation
- reliefEasing of distress
- alleviationReduction of intensity
- easingReducing strain or difficulty
calming · alleviating · mitigating · assuaging · allaying · pacifying · quelling · softening · cushioning · buffering
consolation
Comfort during distress
- solaceRelief from distress
- reassuranceWords meant to calm
- comfortEase or soothing relief
sympathy · empathy · compassion · support · kindness · warmth · care · nurture · gentleness · coping
- workaroundsworkaround, workarounds, fixes, hacks, quick fix
palliativescures
Remedies that heal
curatives · remedies · treatments · antidotes · correctives
- palliative careRelief-focused medicine for illness
- palliative care doctorDoctor easing serious illness suffering
- palliative care specialistDoctor managing terminal comfort