conciliatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conciliatory
First recorded in 1570–80; conciliate + -ory 1
Explanation
If you're in a fight with a friend and you want to end it, you should make a conciliatory gesture, such as inviting her to a party you're having. Conciliatory describes things that make other people less angry. The context is often a situation in which a dispute is settled by compromise. A synonym is propitiatory, though this adjective usually refers to avoiding the anger of someone who has the power to harm. In the word conciliatory, the –ory suffix means "relating to or doing," and the root is from Latin conciliatus, from conciliare "to bring together, win over," from concilium "council."
Vocabulary lists containing conciliatory
Power Prefix: con-
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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.
Mexico has taken a more conciliatory approach, refraining from imposing retaliatory measures and engaging in talks, with Sheinbaum at times joining conversations with Greer and Lutnick.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
At G20 trade talks in Milwaukee, Greer struck a conciliatory tone, saying there was an "eagerness on both sides to work together" on the diesel issue.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The mayor has made other conciliatory gestures to the city’s capitalist class.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Modi had been more conciliatory in his vertical video shared on Instagram after the protest had ended.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
I knew I had been harsh, but I did not want to capsize the whole ship of negotiations, and I ended on a more conciliatory note.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
