appease

[ uh-peez ]

verb (used with object)

, ap·peased, ap·peas·ing.

1. to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; pacify; soothe:

   to appease an angry king.

   Synonyms: placate, calm

   Antonyms: enrage

2. to satisfy, allay, or relieve; assuage:

   The fruit appeased his hunger.

   Antonyms: sharpen, arouse, increase

3. to yield or concede to the belligerent demands of (a nation, group, person, etc.) in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles.

   Antonyms: defy

appease

/ əˈpiːz /

verb

1. to calm, pacify, or soothe, esp by acceding to the demands of
2. to satisfy or quell (an appetite or thirst, etc)

Derived Forms

• apˈpeaser, noun
• apˈpeasable, adjective

Other Words From

• ap·peasa·ble adjective
• ap·peasa·ble·ness noun
• ap·peasa·bly adverb
• ap·peasement noun
• ap·peaser noun
• ap·peasing·ly adverb
• nonap·peasa·ble adjective
• nonap·peasing adjective
• unap·peasa·ble adjective
• unap·peasa·bly adverb
• unap·peased adjective
• unap·peasing adjective
• unap·peasing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of appease¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English apesen, from Anglo-French apeser, Old French apais(i)er; equivalent to a- ⁵ + peace

Word History and Origins

Origin of appease¹

C16: from Old French apaisier, from pais peace, from Latin pax

Synonym Study

Appease, conciliate, propitiate imply trying to preserve or obtain peace. To appease is to make anxious overtures and often undue concessions to satisfy the demands of someone with a greed for power, territory, etc.: Chamberlain tried to appease Hitler at Munich. To conciliate is to win an enemy or opponent over by displaying a willingness to be just and fair: When mutual grievances are recognized, conciliation is possible. To propitiate is to admit a fault, and, by trying to make amends, to allay hostile feeling: to propitiate an offended neighbor.

Example Sentences

That came just days after Atkins amended the bill to appease opponents concerned it would increase real estate speculation by adding an owner-occupancy requirement.

From Voice of San Diego

The idea here is to appease disgruntled customers and boost the overall star rating, which can bolster sales velocity.

From Search Engine Land

So we’re providing accounts from seven agents, many of whom describe the experience of being caught between abusive callers and corporate directives to appease.

From ProPublica

Some critics have accused President Moon of appeasing Kim Jong Un.

From Time

The situation has left Adidas and numerous other companies trying to walk the line of appeasing China’s large and valuable audience of shoppers while professing a zero-tolerance policy for forced labor to customers in the US and Europe.

From Quartz

The more we appease, the more we indulge, the more emboldened the enemies of freedom become.

From The Daily Beast

Or maybe Alibaba is doing what other companies are doing in China: gagging itself and its customers to appease the apparatchiks.

From The Daily Beast

Teasers to Reverse Flash and Crisis on Infinite Earths will appease geeky fanboys.

From The Daily Beast

Plus, on cable you no longer have to whitewash the story and appease the masses, so the narratives are getting more interesting.

From The Daily Beast

They were drafting to build teams, not to appease fan bases or score easy ticket sales.

From The Daily Beast

In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

From Project Gutenberg

Some affirm that he wrote to please royalty, but if so why did he not condemn the custom to appease the wrath of a sapient king.

From Project Gutenberg

This policy is necessary to appease the opposition that might be interposed in their behalf.

From Project Gutenberg

An angry controversy resulted, to appease which Theodosius the younger assembled the Council of Ephesus.

From Project Gutenberg

Andrea held up her hand to appease the patrician, whose exaggeration annulled his superiority.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• allay
• alleviate
• assuage
• blunt
• calm
• lessen
• mitigate
• mollify
• placate
• quell
• soften
• soothe