placate
Soothe an anger
To placate is to calm or appease someone who is angry or upset, often by making concessions: She tried to placate him with apologies.
The word suggests soothing hostile feelings rather than solving underlying problems—a placated person may still harbor resentment.
The company offered refunds to placate angry customers.
Reduce anger or distress
- propitiateRegain favor through offerings
- conciliateCalm hostile feelings
- pacifyTo calm agitation
- sootheGently ease discomfort
assuage · calm · reconcile · satisfy · win over · make peace · smooth over · defuse
Ease someone's doubts
ease · relieve · soften · temper · moderate · steady · settle · tranquilize
Facilitate agreement between disputants
- arbitrateSettle as impartial judge
- intercedeIntervene on behalf
- brokerTransaction intermediary for hire
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
negotiate · settle · resolve · reconcile · intermediate · go-between · peacemaker · diplomat
mollify
Reduce anger or distress
- propitiateRegain favor through offerings
- conciliateCalm hostile feelings
- pacifyTo calm agitation
soothe · assuage · calm · reconcile · satisfy · win over · make peace · smooth over · defuse · quell
reassure
Ease someone's doubts
gentle · ease · relieve · soften · temper · moderate · steady · settle · tranquilize · balm
mediate
Facilitate agreement between disputants
- arbitrateSettle as impartial judge
- intercedeIntervene on behalf
- brokerTransaction intermediary for hire
compromise · negotiate · settle · resolve · reconcile · intermediate · go-between · peacemaker · diplomat · treaty
- calmingcalm, calm down, soothe, relax, pacify
- persuasion tacticscharm, butter up, flattery, flatter, coax
- reconciliationreconciliation, reconcile, reconciled, reconciling, making up
- sugarcoatingsweeten, soften, gloss over, whitewash, soft-pedal
implacable, placating, placation, placated, placatory, placates, placatingly, implacability, placater