Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense reconciles, present participle reconciling, past tense, past participle reconciled
1. verb
If you reconcile two beliefs, facts, or demands that seem to be opposed or completely different, you find a way in which they can both be true or both be successful.
It's difficult to reconcile the demands of my job and the desire to be a good father. [VERB noun]
We suggest that it is possible to reconcile these apparently opposing perspectives. [V pl-n]
She struggles to reconcile the demands and dangers of her work with her role as amother and wife. [VERB noun + with]
Synonyms: resolve, settle, square, adjust More Synonyms of reconcile
2. passive verb
If you are reconciledwith someone, you become friendly with them again after a quarrel or disagreement.
He never believed he and Susan would be reconciled. [beVERB-ed]
Devlin was reconciled with the Catholic Church in his last few days. [beVERB-ed + with]
Synonyms: reunite, bring back together, make peace between, pacify More Synonyms of reconcile
3. verb
If you reconcile two people, you make them become friends again after a quarrel or disagreement.
...my attempt to reconcile him with Toby. [VERB noun + with]
Synonyms: make peace between, reunite, propitiate, bring to terms More Synonyms of reconcile
4. verb
If you reconcileyourselfto an unpleasant situation, you accept it, although it does not make you happy to do so.
She had reconciled herself to never seeing him again. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + to]
reconciledadjective
She felt a little more reconciled to her lot. [+ to]
reconcile in British English
(ˈrɛkənˌsaɪl)
verb(transitive)
1. (often passive; usually foll byto)
to make (oneself or another) no longer opposed; cause to acquiesce in something unpleasant
she reconciled herself to poverty
2.
to become friendly with (someone) after estrangement or to re-establish friendly relations between (two or more people)
3.
to settle (a quarrel or difference)
4.
to make (two apparently conflicting things) compatible or consistent with each other
5.
to reconsecrate (a desecrated church, etc)
Derived forms
reconcilement (ˈreconˌcilement)
noun
reconciler (ˈreconˌciler)
noun
reconciliation (ˌrɛkənˌsɪlɪˈeɪʃən)
noun
reconciliatory (ˌrɛkənˈsɪlɪətərɪ, -trɪ)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin reconciliāre to bring together again, from re- + conciliāre to make friendly, conciliate
reconcile in American English
(ˈrɛkənˌsaɪl)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈreconˌciled or ˈreconˌciling
1.
to make friendly again or win over to a friendly attitude
2.
to settle (a quarrel, difference, etc.)
3.
to make (arguments, ideas, texts, accounts, etc.) consistent, compatible, etc.; bring into harmony
4.
to make content, submissive, or acquiescent (to)
to become reconciled to one's lot
Word origin
ME reconsilen < OFr reconcilier < L reconciliare: see re- & conciliate
Examples of 'reconcile' in a sentence
reconcile
Your diplomatic skills will be stretched but you will find a way to reconcile two stubborn relatives.
The Sun (2016)
It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the church.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To reconcile this difference is the difficulty.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His wife was apparently reconciled to his going away to an unknown destination for an indefinite period.
Adam Sisman The Friendship: Wordsworth and Coleridge (2006)
So how does he reconcile the two realms?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is the impossibility of reconciling these two different worlds that women are literally throwing up.
Bloom, Carol & Gitter, Andrea (contributor) & Gutwill, Susan (contributor) & Kogel,Laura (contributor) & Zaphiropoulos, Lela (contributor) Eating Problems: A Feminist Psychoanalytic Treatment Model (1994)
Surely they can reconcile their differences without resorting to legal action?
The Sun (2011)
It is possible to reconcile the two sets of figures.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
None of them envisaged that they would have to reconcile their differences so quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He has no trouble reconciling these two facts.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Attempts to reconcile religious differences have been going on for years.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The four members said that they had reconciled their differences and had been recording new songs for a possible album.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She married again and was finally reconciled with her father, but rarely spoke about her prison experiences.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Yet he set about reconciling the Church and modernity, and espoused papal concern for the condition of labour.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
For we cannot deny there exists a generation within the Church with the heart's desire to reconcile the two planes.
Christianity Today (2000)
In other languages
reconcile
British English: reconcile VERB
If you reconcile two beliefs, facts, or demands that seem to be opposed or completely different, you find a way in which they can both be true or both be successful.
It's difficult to reconcile the demands of my job and the desire to be a good father.
American English: reconcile
Brazilian Portuguese: reconciliar
Chinese: 使和谐一致
European Spanish: reconciliar
French: concilier
German: in Einklang bringen
Italian: conciliare
Japanese: 調和を取る
Korean: 조화시키다
European Portuguese: reconciliar
Latin American Spanish: conciliar
Chinese translation of 'reconcile'
reconcile
(ˈrɛkənsaɪl)
vt
[two people]和解 (héjiě)
[two facts, beliefs]调(調)和 (tiáohé)
to reconcile o.s. to sth[unpleasant situation etc]使自己接受某事 (shǐ zìjǐ jiēshòu mǒushì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make (two apparently conflicting things) compatible or consistent with each other
It is possible to reconcile these apparently opposing perspectives.
Synonyms
resolve
She resolved to report the matter.
settle
They agreed to try and settle their dispute by negotiation.
square
His dreams did not square with reality.
adjust
I felt I had adjusted to the idea of being a mother very well.
compose
rectify
Only an act of Congress could rectify the situation.
patch up
harmonize
members have progressed towards harmonizing their economies
put to rights
2 (verb)
Definition
to re-establish friendly relations with (a person or people) or between (people)
He never believed the couple would be reconciled.
Synonyms
reunite
bring back together
make peace between
pacify
Is this just something to pacify the critics?
conciliate
My duty is to conciliate the people, not to provoke them.
3 (verb)
Definition
to re-establish friendly relations with (a person or people) or between (people)
my attempt to reconcile him and Toby
Synonyms
make peace between
reunite
propitiate
These ancient ceremonies propitiate the spirits of the waters.
bring to terms
restore harmony between
re-establish friendly relations between
phrasal verb
See reconcile yourself to something
Additional synonyms
in the sense of adjust
Definition
to adapt to a new environment
I felt I had adjusted to the idea of being a mother very well.
Synonyms
adapt,
change,
settle,
convert,
alter,
accommodate,
dispose,
get used,
accustom,
conform,
reconcile,
harmonize,
acclimatize,
familiarize yourself,
attune
in the sense of conciliate
Definition
to try to end a disagreement with or pacify (someone)
My duty is to conciliate the people, not to provoke them.
Synonyms
pacify,
win over,
soothe,
reconcile,
disarm,
appease,
placate,
mollify,
propitiate
in the sense of harmonize
Definition
to make or become harmonious
members have progressed towards harmonizing their economies
Synonyms
coordinate,
match,
agree,
blend,
tally,
reconcile,
attune
Synonyms of 'reconcile'
reconcile
Explore 'reconcile' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of pacify
Definition
to soothe or calm
Is this just something to pacify the critics?
Synonyms
calm (down),
appease,
placate,
still,
content,
quiet,
moderate,
compose,
soften,
soothe,
allay,
assuage,
make peace with,
mollify,
ameliorate,
conciliate,
propitiate,
tranquillize,
smooth someone's ruffled feathers,
clear the air with,
restore harmony to
in the sense of propitiate
Definition
to appease (someone, esp. a god or spirit)
These ancient ceremonies propitiate the spirits of the waters.
Synonyms
appease,
satisfy,
reconcile,
placate,
pacify,
make peace with,
mollify,
conciliate
in the sense of rectify
Definition
to put right
Only an act of Congress could rectify the situation.
Synonyms
correct,
right,
improve,
reform,
square,
fix,
repair,
adjust,
remedy,
amend,
make good,
mend,
redress,
put right,
set the record straight,
emend
in the sense of settle
Definition
to put in order
They agreed to try and settle their dispute by negotiation.