reconcile
REK-un-syle
/ˈrek.ən.saɪl/
To restore friendly relations between parties; to make two seemingly incompatible things consistent with each other.
Reconcile implies a return to a previous state of harmony after a period of estrangement or conflict.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 're-' (again) and 'conciliare' (to bring together). It suggests that the parties were once together, were separated by conflict, and are now being brought back into the same 'council' or circle of friendship.
Word relationships
- harmonize: Harmonize focuses on making things work together smoothly, while reconcile focuses on fixing a broken relationship.
- estrange: Estrange means to cause someone to be no longer friendly or close, the exact opposite of reconcile.
Commonly confused with
- conciliate: Reconcile is the act of restoring a relationship; conciliate is often the act of winning someone over or gaining their goodwill.
Word family
- reconciliation (noun): The restoration of friendly relations.
- reconcilable (adjective): Capable of being made consistent or friendly.
Collocations
- reconcile differences
- reconcile accounts
- reconcile with a friend
Idioms & expressions
- reconcile oneself to
Example sentences
- "I may assert Eternal Providence, and justify the ways of God to men, and reconcile them." Literature
- "The two brothers finally managed to reconcile after a decade of silence following their father's death." Personal Relations
Memory hook
Think of 're-connecting' in a 'council'—Re-Concile. Bring back to the circle.
When not to use
Do not use for fixing mechanical objects; use 'repair' or 'fix' instead.
Fun facts
- In accounting, 'reconciling' means making sure two sets of records (like your bank statement and your checkbook) match perfectly.
Related words
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