conciliatory

adjective

con·​cil·​ia·​to·​ry kən-ˈsil-yə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-ˈsi-lē-ə-

: intended to gain goodwill or favor or to reduce hostility : tending or intended to conciliate

speaking in a conciliatory tone

But while the conference call might have been seen as a conciliatory gesture, an olive branch to his critics after weeks of bitter back-and-forth, the meeting seemed anything but.

—Colin Deppen

He was self-assured, aggressive, combative, at times willing to offend and at times trying to sound conciliatory.

—Dan Balz

Did you know?

If you are conciliatory towards someone, you're trying to win that person over to your side. The verb conciliate was borrowed into English in the mid-16th century and descends from the Latin verb conciliare, meaning "to assemble, unite, or win over." Conciliare, in turn, comes from Latin concilium, meaning "assembly" or "council." Conciliatory, which appeared in English a bit later in the 16th century, also traces back to conciliare. Another word that has conciliare as a root is reconcile, the earliest meaning of which is "to restore to friendship or harmony."

Synonyms

• appeasing
• conciliating
• disarming
• mollifying
• pacific
• pacifying
• peacemaking
• placating
• placatory
• propitiatory

Examples of conciliatory in a Sentence

eased the tension with conciliatory remarks

Recent Examples on the Web

Khalil, known for his charisma and his conciliatory manner, eventually became a mediator, representing the protesters in talks with the university’s administrators. —Aida Alami, New Yorker, 21 May 2025

At the same time, the leadership in each country has embraced religious nationalism, and each has hardened its views of the other, making any conciliatory gesture all but impossible. —Mujib Mashal, New York Times, 18 May 2025

Democratic leaders have come under criticism from within, some for pushing the party too far left, and others for appearing too conciliatory toward Trump. —Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025

But the administration’s more conciliatory rhetoric Tuesday and Wednesday managed to calm financial markets and was met in China with a view to possible next steps beyond tit-for-tat tariffs. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conciliatory

• accusatory
• admonitory
• ambulatory
• amendatory
• celebratory
• circulatory
• combinatory
• commendatory
• compensatory
• condemnatory
• confirmatory
• confiscatory

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