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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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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The Crucible
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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.
El-Sayed admits he can be cocky, and the result called for an immediate conciliatory tone to welcome skeptical Stevens voters.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2026
Carrick's only public statement around Rashford, towards the end of last season, was conciliatory in nature, which is in keeping with his general personality.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Despite the confrontational tone of the letter, some signatories struck a more conciliatory note.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
His speech on Sunday struck a conciliatory tone, vowing to respect democratic principles and govern for "all Colombians."
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
He was not a conciliatory man, so the effort looked actually physical, like an earthquake.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions 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.
