conciliate

[kuh n-sil-ee-eyt]

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.

Origin of conciliate

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

Related formscon·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, adjectivepro·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

Related Words for conciliating

pacify, satisfy, appease

Examples from the Web for conciliating

Historical Examples of conciliating

Your notion of conciliating them is to start getting ready to fight them!
Changing Winds
St. John G. Ervine
Old Man Curry's tone was apologetic and conciliating in the extreme.
Old Man Curry
Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan
His demeanor changed; from conciliating it was of a sudden transformed to indignant.
The Lion's Skin
Rafael Sabatini
However, he checked the impulse and spoke in a conciliating tone.
The Hound From The North
Ridgwell Cullum
I assured him of the truth of his observation in a most conciliating tone.
Jack Hinton
Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for conciliating

conciliate

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 conciliating

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.