propitiate

[ pruh-pish-ee-eyt ]

verb (used with object)

, pro·pi·ti·at·ed, pro·pi·ti·at·ing.

1. to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.

   Antonyms: arouse, anger

propitiate

/ prəˈpɪʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. tr to appease or make well disposed; conciliate

Derived Forms

• proˈpitiable, adjective
• proˈpitiˌator, noun
• proˌpitiˈation, noun
• proˌpitiˈatious, adjective
• proˈpitiative, adjective

Other Words From

• pro·pi·ti·a·ble [pr, uh, -, pish, -ee-, uh, -b, uh, l], adjective
• pro·piti·ating·ly adverb
• pro·piti·ative adjective
• pro·piti·ator noun
• nonpro·piti·a·ble adjective
• nonpro·piti·ative adjective
• unpro·piti·a·ble adjective
• unpro·piti·ated adjective
• unpro·piti·ating adjective
• unpro·piti·ative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of propitiate¹

1635–45; < Latin propitiātus, past participle of propitiāre to appease. See propitious, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of propitiate¹

C17: from Latin propitiāre to appease, from propitius gracious

Synonym Study

See appease.

Example Sentences

Before he was reinstated, the Anderson School’s Faculty Executive Committee tried to propitiate the mob by announcing itself “saddened” by Klein’s “troubling conduct.”

From Washington Post

Presently it struck him that he had better do something to propitiate a man who could send him to encounter such a fate.

From Project Gutenberg

The oldest of all the rites of the ancient pagans was in the form of sacrifice, to propitiate the deity.

From Project Gutenberg

She tried to propitiate the General after her usual manner towards him.

From Project Gutenberg

To propitiate them, presents are made—the last things that can well be parted with.

From Project Gutenberg

Her box was a present from Makaraig, who had already got on good terms with her in order to propitiate Don Custodio.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Propitiate

What does propitiate mean?

Propitiate means to gain the favor of or make things right with someone, especially after having done something wrong.

The noun form of propitiate is propitiation. Close synonyms of propitiate are conciliate and appease. Propitiate is commonly used in a religious context. It’s especially used in Christianity to refer to the act of propitiation that Christians believe Jesus made to atone for sin—or to the atonement that Christians believe they should make to God.

Example: To gain redemption, we must do our best to propitiate—to earn the favor we have lost.

Where does propitiate come from?

The first records of propitiate come from the 1500s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb propitiāre, meaning “to appease,” from the Latin propitius, “gracious.”

Propitiate is commonly used in situations in which a person has done something wrong and wants to regain someone’s favor. It’s more than offering an apology. It may involve an apology, but propitiating typically involves doing something to earn forgiveness or redemption. For example, to propitiate a neighbor for breaking their window, a child might offer to mow the neighbor’s lawn for three months. But the word isn’t often applied so informally. Most commonly, it’s used in a religious way. The noun form propitiation is especially used in reference to Jesus. Another sense of propitiation refers not to the act of atonement but to the thing that atones, and the word appears in some translations of the Bible to refer to Jesus as a living propitiation for sin.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to propitiate?

• propitiation (noun)
• propitiable (adjective)
• propitiatingly (adverb)
• propitiative (adjective)
• propitiator (noun)
• propitiatious (adjective)

What are some synonyms for propitiate?

• conciliate
• appease
• atone

What are some words that share a root or word element with propitiate? 

 

• propitiatory 
• propitious

What are some words that often get used in discussing propitiate?

• amends
• apology
• appeasement
• atonement
• redemption
• restitution 
• reparation
• penance
• sin

How is propitiate used in real life?

Propitiate is typically used formally and most often in a religious context.

Johnson is stubborn and thinks the conventional rules of politics don’t apply to him. But he is a shrewd judge of the swirling currents of the public mood. He will know that the fury over Cummings is not confected and be wondering if it will need a sacrifice to propitiate it.

— Nick Boles (@NickBoles) May 26, 2020

"We affirm that on the cross Jesus Christ offered Himself as a penal substitutionary atonement for the sins of His people, propitiating the wrath of God and satisfying the justice of God, and was victorious over sin, death, and Satan."

— Ashor DeKelaita (@AshorDeKelaita) May 1, 2019

But why were animals deified? This is unclear. Possibly some animals were worshiped because they assisted mankind, while others, who were feared were deified in an attempt to propitiate them. It is evident, that animal forms were regarded as symbols of divine manifestation. pic.twitter.com/bPLCATD2Z4

— Ma’at (@surimana16) May 5, 2020

 

 

Try using propitiate!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of propitiate?

A. conciliate
B. forgive
C. appease
D. atone