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Synonyms

reconciliation

American  
[rek-uhn-sil-ee-ey-shuhn] / ˌrɛk ənˌsɪl iˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of coming to an understanding and putting an end to hostility, as when former enemies agree to an amicable truce.

    Thirty years later, the rebel son is seeking reconciliation with his mother and sister.

    Reconciliation between the government and the Indigenous community will take more than pleasant words.

  2. the state of being resigned to something undesirable, or the process of achieving this state; acceptance.

    Telling them about her son as he was before the accident gave her a sense of peace and reconciliation with her loss.

  3. the act or process of making consistent or compatible.

    There is a tension between justice and mercy, and their reconciliation is not easy or obvious.

  4. the act or process of verifying one account or set of figures with another to ensure or test for accuracy.

    Reconciliation of the sum of money received and the number of tickets sold revealed a few reporting errors.

  5. U.S. Government. a Congressional procedure under which a simple majority of votes in the Senate is enough to pass legislation relating to the federal budget: used in order to avoid a potential filibuster.


Reconciliation British  
/ ˌrɛkənˌsɪlɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

  1. RC Church a sacrament in which repentant sinners are absolved and gain reconciliation with God and the Church, on condition of confession of their sins to a priest and of performing a penance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does reconciliation mean? Reconciliation is the process of two people or groups in a conflict agreeing to make amends or come to a truce.Reconciliation is also the name of a Catholic sacrament involving the confession of sin. Less commonly, reconciliation refers to when someone accepts an undesirable situation, or to the process of making things compatible.Example: After years of conflict, the two parties have agreed to meet with the goal of reconciliation.

Other Word Forms

  • nonreconciliation noun
  • prereconciliation noun
  • proreconciliation adjective

Etymology

Origin of reconciliation

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English reconsiliacion, from Latin reconciliātiōn-, stem of reconciliātiō “renewal, restoration,” from reconciliāt(us) “restored, reunited” (past participle of reconciliāre “to repair, restore, reunite”; reconcile ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"As a civic institution with a global reputation for leadership in peace, reconciliation, and justice, Queen's University Belfast must ensure that its honours and symbols reflect the highest standards consistent with its values and responsibilities."

From BBC

He is keen to make clear that sometimes people were estranged for good reason and for whom seeking reconciliation was not the right choice.

From BBC

Does receiving this award now feel like reconciliation at all?

From Los Angeles Times

US envoy Tom Barrack called it "a profound and historic milestone in Syria's journey toward national reconciliation, unity, and enduring stability".

From BBC

His voice - bruised, buttery and intimate - has been an inescapable undercurrent of Bollywood, narrating heartbreaks, longings and reconciliations for millions for more than a decade.

From BBC