conciliate

[ kuh n-sil-ee-eyt ]

/ kənˈsɪl iˌeɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR conciliate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), con·cil·i·at·ed, con·cil·i·at·ing.

to overcome the distrust or hostility of; placate; win over: to conciliate an angry competitor.

to win or gain (goodwill, regard, or favor).

to make compatible; reconcile.

verb (used without object), con·cil·i·at·ed, con·cil·i·at·ing.

to become agreeable or reconciled: Efforts to conciliate in the dispute proved fruitless.

RELATED WORDS

pacify, satisfy, appease

Nearby words

Origin of conciliate

1540–50; < Latin conciliātus (past participle of conciliāre to bring together, unite, equivalent to concili(um) council + -ātus -ate¹

Related forms

con·cil·i·a·ble

[kuh n-sil-ee-uh-buh l] /kənˈsɪl i ə bəl/, adjectivecon·cil·i·at·ing·ly, adverbcon·cil·i·a·tion, nounnon·con·cil·i·at·ing, adjective

pro·con·cil·i·a·tion, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·a·ble, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·at·ed, adjectiveun·con·cil·i·at·ing, adjective

Synonym study

1. See appease.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for conciliate

To tell the truth, poor Carry, being so unhappy, did not take pains to conciliate her neighbours.
The Ladies Lindores, Vol. 2(of 3)|Margaret Oliphant
For its promotion, the eminent man wished to conciliate the sympathies of a certain small class of religionists.
The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 10, No. 58, August, 1862|Various
Pedro gladly went, and all that day tried ineffectually to conciliate the angry man by patience, gentleness, and obedience.
The White Shield|Myrtle Reed
To all this man's requests Stanley cheerfully consented in his anxiety to conciliate him and the natives.
Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa|Joel Tyler Headley and William Fletcher Johnson

To conciliate these seemingly incompatible schemes, she determined——But let our heroine speak for herself.
Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10)|Maria Edgeworth

British Dictionary definitions for conciliate

conciliate

/ (kənˈsɪlɪˌeɪt) /

verb (tr)

to overcome the hostility of; placate; win over

to win or gain (favour, regard, etc), esp by making friendly overtures

archaic to make compatible; reconcile

Derived Formsconciliable, adjectiveconciliator, noun

Word Origin for conciliate

C16: from Latin conciliāre to bring together, from concilium council

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

Word Origin and History for conciliate

conciliate

1540s, from Latin conciliatus, past participle of conciliare "to bring together, unite in feelings, make friendly," from concilium "council" (see council). Related: Conciliated; conciliating.