conciliate
verb
transitive verb
William Taubmanintransitive verb
Did you know?
Now here’s a people pleaser. The immediate source of conciliate is a form of the Latin verb conciliare, meaning "to assemble, unite, win over," and when conciliate was first used in the 16th century, the idea of winning over was key; it was used to mean "to gain something, such as goodwill or favor, by pleasing acts." Today, conciliate is mostly used in contexts where appease or reconcile is a more common choice, as in "a refusal to conciliate the dictator," and "efforts to conciliate the views of those on opposing sides." Like the word council, conciliate ultimately traces back to the Latin word concilium, meaning "assembly, council."
Synonyms
- accommodate
- attune
- conform
- coordinate
- harmonize
- key
- reconcile
Example Sentences
Daniel Golden, ProPublica, 4 July 2022 Biden’s team has absorbed, even invited, criticism from authoritarians whom Trump used to conciliate. Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner, 25 Mar. 2021 Refusing either to conciliate or coerce Southern states rushing headlong into secession, Lincoln maintained... Harold Holzer, WSJ, 15 May 2020 Rather than jousting with citizen groups at zoning-board meetings, Mr. Traurig tried to conciliate them in advance. James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 27 July 2018 Trump’s determination to conciliate Putin can’t be dismissed as casual trolling or some idle attraction to a friendly face. Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, 8 July 2018 Bickering over cabin choices and roommates until the older children brought in the authorities, in the form of parents, to conciliate. Oddur Thorisson, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 June 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions has proclaimed the end of Obama-era reforms which conciliated between civil-rights activists and police to yield a wave of law-enforcement reforms. Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, 24 May 2018 There are no complexities, no ambiguities, no conflicting views to consider or conciliate. Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 8 May 2018 See More Word History
Latin conciliatus, past participle of conciliare to assemble, unite, win over, from concilium assembly, council — more at council
1545, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
Kids Definition
conciliate
verb
conciliate
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- reconcile
- coordinate
- integrate
- harmonize
- attune
- combine
- key
- adapt
- align
- conform
- accommodate
- suit
- merge
- balance
- connect
- match
- correlate
- unite
- unify
- blend
- pair
- orchestrate
- tune
- synchronize
- synthesize
- equalize
- proportion
- regularize
- standardize
- order
- even
- dovetail
- fuse
- square
- arrange
- fit
- join
- aline
- array
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disturb
- upset
- disrupt
- disorganize
- confuse
- alienate
- estrange
- skew
- disarray
- disharmonize
- disorder
Synonyms & Similar Words
- appease
- propitiate
- placate
- mollify
- comfort
- soothe
- pacify
- calm
- please
- disarm
- assuage
- satisfy
- gentle
- ingratiate
- console
- gratify
- delight
- tranquilize
- quiet
- tranquillize
- content
- flatter
- coax
- cajole
- gladden
- satiate
- adulate
- wheedle
- overpraise
- indulge
- humor
- hush
- blandish
- sate
- quench
- pamper
- spoil
- sweeten
- coddle
- mollycoddle
- baby
- endear (to)
- sweet-talk
- blarney
- soft-soap
- cater (to)
- dulcify
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- anger
- inflame
- antagonize
- infuriate
- aggravate
- annoy
- provoke
- irritate
- enrage
- rile
- outrage
- get
- bother
- exasperate
- rouse
- vex
- cross
- ire
- rankle
- irk
- pique
- enflame
- ruffle
- burn (up)
- persecute
- harass
- grate
- chafe
- madden
- put out
- gall
- roil
- disturb
- bug
- agitate
- upset
- offend
- pester
- unsettle
- discomfort
- incense
- perturb
- distress
- worry
- insult
- harry
- slight
- nettle
- affront
- fret
- peeve
- unhinge
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of conciliate are appease, mollify, pacify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.
The words appease and conciliate can be used in similar contexts, but appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.
In some situations, the words mollify and conciliate are roughly equivalent. However, mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.
Although the words pacify and conciliate have much in common, pacify suggests a soothing or calming.
The meanings of placate and conciliate largely overlap; however, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.
The words propitiate and conciliate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.