désarmer

to disarm, to charm into helplessness

verb deh-zar-MEH Rare

Usage Note

Désarmer literally means to strip someone of weapons, but its figurative use — to disarm someone's anger or resistance through charm — is equally common. Son sourire m'a désarmé means 'his smile disarmed me.' The adjective désarmant ('disarming') is frequently used on its own.

Examples

"Son sourire désarmant a calmé la tension."

Natural Translation

His disarming smile eased the tension.

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