placate
To make someone less angry or hostile through appeasement
Examples
In a meeting
“We offered a discount to placate the frustrated customer.”
Over coffee
“I brought her coffee to placate her after forgetting our lunch date.”
Why this word
calm
Placate implies appeasing someone angry through concessions; calm is more general soothing without necessarily yielding
soothe
Soothe focuses on emotional comfort; placate specifically involves satisfying demands or grievances to stop anger
satisfy
Satisfy is general fulfillment; placate specifically addresses anger or discontent through strategic appeasement
Usage tip
Use when describing efforts to soothe anger, often through concessions. Implies the person being placated has legitimate grievances.
Etymology
Latin 'placare' (to calm, soothe)
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Related words
apprehensive
Anxious or worried about something that may happen in the future
evoke
To bring a feeling, memory, or image into the mind
resent
To feel bitterness or indignation toward something or someone
demoralize
To cause someone to lose confidence or hope
endear
To cause to be loved or liked
patronize
To treat someone in a condescending manner as if they were inferior