conciliatory
Intended to gain goodwill or reduce hostility
Examples
In a meeting
“Her conciliatory tone helped defuse tension in the stakeholder meeting.”
Over coffee
“He sent a conciliatory text after our argument last night.”
Why this word
peaceful
conciliatory describes active efforts to reconcile or appease, while peaceful simply describes absence of conflict
friendly
conciliatory specifically aims to overcome hostility or gain goodwill, while friendly is general warmth
appeasing
conciliatory seeks mutual reconciliation, while appeasing suggests one-sided giving in to demands
Usage tip
Use to describe gestures, language, or approaches that seek to repair relationships or resolve conflicts peacefully.
Etymology
Latin 'conciliare' (bring together, unite), from 'concilium' (council, assembly)
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Related words
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly in few words.
ambiguous
Open to more than one interpretation; not clear or decided.
convey
To communicate or make an idea, feeling, or meaning known.
reiterate
To say something again for emphasis or clarity.
paraphrase
To restate something in different words to make it clearer or shorter.