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 toward someone, you’re trying to win that person over to your side, usually by making them less angry. 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 the noun concilium, meaning “assembly” or “council.” Conciliatory, which appeared in English a bit later in the 16th century, also traces back to conciliare, and is used especially to describe things like tones, gestures, and approaches intended to turn someone’s frown upside down. Another word that has conciliare as a root is reconcile, the earliest meaning of which is “to restore to friendship or harmony.”

Synonyms of conciliatory

• placatory
• benevolent
• soothing
• peaceful
• propitiatory
• conciliating
• kind
• comforting
• pacific
• gentle
• appeasing
• mollifying
• calming

Examples of conciliatory in a Sentence

eased the tension with conciliatory remarks

Recent Examples on the Web

However, Flávio is perceived as a more moderate and conciliatory Bolsonaro. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Xi struck a conciliatory posture in his opening remarks at the summit. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Booker had previously long taken a more conciliatory approach to the issue, joining with both Democrats and Republicans to sponsor legislation aimed at reaching a compromise. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Fascinatingly, however, the incantations are neither soothing nor conciliatory. — Eleanor Johnson, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

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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