disarming
/dɪsˈɑːmɪŋ/verb
To take away someone's weapons, or their means of attacking or defending, leaving them defenseless.
Example sentences
- “The peacekeepers spent months disarming the rival groups.”
- “Her gentle joke succeeded in disarming his anger.”
As an adjective it is a compliment: a disarming smile melts suspicion. That figurative use is now the common one.