conciliate
kun-SIL-ee-ayt
/kənˈsɪlieɪt/
To stop someone from being angry or discontented; to gain goodwill.
Often involves a formal process of mediation or a series of gestures intended to build trust.
The story behind the word. Originally meant to assemble or unite in a council. It suggests that by bringing people together into a 'council' (concilium), you can resolve their differences.
Word relationships
- reconcile: Reconcile means to restore a broken relationship; conciliate is more about winning someone over initially.
- estrange: Estrange means to cause someone to be no longer on friendly terms.
Commonly confused with
- counsel: Counsel is advice; conciliate is peacemaking.
Word family
- conciliatory (adjective): Intended or likely to placate or pacify.
- conciliation (noun): The action of stopping someone from being angry.
Collocations
- conciliate an enemy
- conciliatory gesture
- conciliate the factions
Example sentences
- "The company made several concessions in an attempt to conciliate the striking workers." A labor dispute.
Memory hook
Conciliate sounds like 'council'—you bring people to a council to make peace. Call a council to conciliate.
When not to use
Too formal for a simple apology between friends.
Fun facts
- A 'concierge' in a hotel shares a distant linguistic connection, originally being a 'fellow servant' or 'keeper of the house' who keeps things running smoothly.
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