propitiate

[pruh-pish-ee-eyt]

verb (used with object)

propitiated, propitiating 

1. to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.

   Antonyms: arouse, anger

propitiate

/ prəˈpɪʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to appease or make well disposed; conciliate

Other Word Forms

• propitiable adjective
• propitiatingly adverb
• propitiative adjective
• propitiator noun
• nonpropitiable adjective
• nonpropitiative adjective
• unpropitiable adjective
• unpropitiated adjective
• unpropitiating adjective
• unpropitiative adjective
• propitiatious adjective
• propitiation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of propitiate¹

1635–45; < Latin propitiātus, past participle of propitiāre to appease. See propitious, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of propitiate¹

C17: from Latin propitiāre to appease, from propitius gracious

Synonym Study

See appease.

Example Sentences

The great die-off is, at bottom, a form of self-sacrifice to an angry pagan idol that can never be propitiated.

From Salon

As a father of two young daughters, I found DeSantis' Molochian offering — to propitiate those with little to no regard for life or the suffering of others — behavior unworthy of anyone's vote.

From Salon

Some people eager to propitiate Putin have suggested the “Finlandization” of Ukraine.

From Washington Post

Especially I felt this when I made any attempt to propitiate him.

From Literature

Before he was reinstated, the Anderson School’s Faculty Executive Committee tried to propitiate the mob by announcing itself “saddened” by Klein’s “troubling conduct.”

From Washington Post

When To Use

What does propitiate mean?

Propitiate means to gain the favor of or make things right with someone, especially after having done something wrong.The noun form of propitiate is propitiation. Close synonyms of propitiate are conciliate and appease. Propitiate is commonly used in a religious context. It’s especially used in Christianity to refer to the act of propitiation that Christians believe Jesus made to atone for sin—or to the atonement that Christians believe they should make to God.Example: To gain redemption, we must do our best to propitiate—to earn the favor we have lost.