propitiation
noun
pro·pi·ti·a·tion
prō-ˌpi-shē-ˈā-shən 
1
: the act of gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of someone or something : the act of propitiating : appeasement
a sacrifice in propitiation of the gods
… she showed every possible desire to conciliate him, and there was an air of humble propitiation in all she did, such as I have seen pervade the bearing of a child towards a hard master.—
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens2
: something that propitiates or appeases
specifically
: an atoning sacrifice
Examples of propitiation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The coming propitiation looms large — an angel of mercy hovering over this melodrama, even at its most melodramatic.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 11 July 2023
Slavery was upheld in our original Constitution, as a propitiation between Southern states—where the economy thrummed on the backs of human chattel—and the states that had either no use for slavery or were considering its abolition.
—Rich Logis, The New Republic, 19 Apr. 2023
The act of propitiation; gratitude reified.
—William F. Buckley Jr., National Review, 26 Nov. 2020
Many customs and beliefs, rooted in ancient practices of affecting reality and averting danger by acts of propitiation and protection, are being reinvented—including wayside shrines on the sites of fatal accidents.
—Marina Warner, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
The scapegoat, as defined in the Book of Leviticus, is a propitiation.
—Sarah Jones, New Republic, 16 Feb. 2018
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 11 July 2023
Slavery was upheld in our original Constitution, as a propitiation between Southern states—where the economy thrummed on the backs of human chattel—and the states that had either no use for slavery or were considering its abolition.
—Rich Logis, The New Republic, 19 Apr. 2023
The act of propitiation; gratitude reified.
—William F. Buckley Jr., National Review, 26 Nov. 2020
Many customs and beliefs, rooted in ancient practices of affecting reality and averting danger by acts of propitiation and protection, are being reinvented—including wayside shrines on the sites of fatal accidents.
—Marina Warner, The New York Review of Books, 2 July 2020
The scapegoat, as defined in the Book of Leviticus, is a propitiation.
—Sarah Jones, New Republic, 16 Feb. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Propitiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propitiation. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share