propitiation
Appeasing the gods
Propitiation is the act of appeasing or pacifying someone, especially a deity, to regain favor or avert wrath.
The word carries religious weight—in Christian theology, Christ's sacrifice is often described as propitiation for human sin.
More broadly, any gesture meant to mollify an offended party: His apology was mere propitiation, not genuine remorse.
Redress for offense
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
remission · reparation · amends · restitution · contrition · repentance · purification · cleansing
Something presented or given
- oblationReligious gift offering
- libationCeremonial drink offering
- altarSacred ritual table
- victimOne harmed by another
immolation · burnt offering · blood sacrifice · hecatomb · scapegoat · votive · firstfruits · tithe
expiation
Redress for offense
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
forgiveness · remission · reparation · amends · restitution · contrition · repentance · purification · cleansing · reconciliation
offering
Something presented or given
victim · immolation · burnt offering · blood sacrifice · hecatomb · scapegoat · votive · firstfruits · tithe · holocaust
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
- riteCeremonial act or practice
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- priestOne who performs sacraments
temple · shrine · liturgy · invocation · prayer · chant · worship · idol · deity · divination
placate
Lessen someone's anger
assuage · conciliate · calm · disarm · reconcile · satisfy · mitigate · soften · ease · quell
- forgivenessforgiveness of sins, redemption, absolve, mercy, grace
- peacemakingnegotiation, mediation, peace agreement, mediate, pacifying
- atonementsubstitution, reconciler, forgiveness, sin offering, making amends
- Penanceconfession booth, act of contrition, contrition, penitent, public penance
- sacrificeburnt offering, blood sacrifice, human sacrifice, animal sacrifice, immolation
- theologyecclesiology, eschatology, Christology, God, dogmatics
propitiationprovocation
Act that triggers response
angering · offense · affront · incitement · enraging
propitiationwrath
Fierce, punishing anger
punishment · condemnation · retribution · vengeance · judgment
propitiationestrangement
Emotional separation between people
alienation · enmity · hostility · rupture · breach
propitious, propitiate, unpropitious, propitiatory, propitiously, propitiated