propitiate
verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
Propitiate tends to suggest averting the anger or malevolence of a superior being. You might "appease" your hunger, but to speak more colorfully, you could "propitiate the gods of hunger." The word is related to propitious, an adjective meaning "likely to have or produce good results" or "being a good omen."
Synonyms
- appease
- assuage
- conciliate
- disarm
- gentle
- mollify
- pacify
- placate
Example Sentences
Dominic Green, WSJ, 27 Apr. 2022 Sarah Burton’s poetic debut collection for Alexander McQueen for spring 2011 took inspiration from the corn-husk dollies that in ancient Britain were traditionally used to propitiate the agricultural field gods. Alex Harrington, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2020 Norman’s description of a crisis over which deity to propitiate, a crisis that began with the thirteenth and continues to the present day, is impressive in its clarity. Donald S. Lopez, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2020 These ghosts have been stalking the premises since the Great Famine, when a local man committed a sickening murder in an attempt to propitiate the ancient gods. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 18 May 2018 Soon after Kuchibhotla’s murder, a commentator in India a grave irony: in the run-up to the 2016 election, a number of right-leaning American Hindus , not only with donations but also with elaborate prayer ceremonies to propitiate the gods. Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2017 In interviews, the inhabitants complained that rocks being blasted off the mountains were falling on their homes and angering the local neak ta, who had to be propitiated with offerings of roast pigs. Julia Wallace, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2017 See More Word History
Latin propitiatus, past participle of propitiare, from propitius propitious
1583, in the meaning defined above
propitiate
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- appease
- placate
- conciliate
- comfort
- mollify
- pacify
- soothe
- calm
- please
- assuage
- satisfy
- disarm
- console
- gentle
- ingratiate
- delight
- gratify
- tranquilize
- tranquillize
- quiet
- content
- satiate
- sate
- coax
- gladden
- adulate
- cajole
- flatter
- quench
- indulge
- wheedle
- hush
- overpraise
- humor
- pamper
- blandish
- spoil
- sweeten
- baby
- coddle
- endear (to)
- mollycoddle
- blarney
- sweet-talk
- cater (to)
- dulcify
- soft-soap
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- anger
- antagonize
- infuriate
- inflame
- aggravate
- annoy
- irritate
- provoke
- enrage
- outrage
- get
- rile
- bother
- cross
- rouse
- exasperate
- ire
- vex
- burn (up)
- irk
- rankle
- pique
- enflame
- roil
- put out
- grate
- incense
- chafe
- persecute
- ruffle
- harass
- bug
- gall
- disturb
- madden
- pester
- offend
- agitate
- perturb
- upset
- unsettle
- distress
- worry
- discomfort
- insult
- harry
- affront
- nettle
- slight
- fret
- peeve
- unhinge
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of propitiate are appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, and placate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.
The words appease and propitiate can be used in similar contexts, but appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.
In some situations, the words conciliate and propitiate are roughly equivalent. However, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.
While the synonyms mollify and propitiate are close in meaning, mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.
The words pacify and propitiate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pacify suggests a soothing or calming.
The synonyms placate and propitiate are sometimes interchangeable, but placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.