reconcile

verb

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rec·on·cile | \ ˈre-kən-ˌsī(-ə)l

reconciled; reconciling

Definition of reconcile

transitive verb

1a : to restore to friendship or harmony reconciled the factions

b : settle, resolve reconcile differences

2 : to make consistent or congruous reconcile an ideal with reality

3 : to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant was reconciled to hardship

4a : to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy

b : to account for

intransitive verb

: to become reconciled

Other Words from reconcile Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about reconcile

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Choose the Right Synonym for reconcile

adapt, adjust, accommodate, conform, reconcile mean to bring one thing into correspondence with another. adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances. adapted themselves to the warmer climate adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism. adjusted the budget to allow for inflation accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence. accommodated his political beliefs in order to win conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle. refused to conform to society's values reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible. tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

Examples of reconcile in a Sentence

She and Eddie had separated and reconciled so many times the children had lost track of whose clothes were where. — John Grisham, The Chamber, 1995 He thought they might reconcile the Parisians to his daring design by reminding them of the familiar arches of their bridges. — Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990 By exposing the comic-pathetic quality of the human condition, it temporarily reconciles us to that condition without creating in us complacence, lethargy, or any negative emotion. — Clifton Fadiman, Center Magazine, January-February 1971 It is a function of architecture to reconcile technology with human cussedness, to make the mechanics of life endurable … — Russell Lynes, Harper's, October 1968 It can be difficult to reconcile your ideals with reality. historians have never been able to reconcile the two eyewitness accounts of the battle

Recent Examples on the Web The different figures could not immediately be reconciled. — NBC News, "Taliban ambush peace convoy in Afghanistan, abducting activists," 25 Dec. 2019 The different figures could not immediately be reconciled. — Tameem Akhgar, SFChronicle.com, "Taliban abduct 26 peace activists, Afghan official says," 25 Dec. 2019 Can the two readings, representing the western and eastern lenses on the ancient symbol, ever be reconciled? — Anne Quito, Quartz, "Can the swastika ever reclaim its original meaning?," 24 Dec. 2019 His story about conspiring to catch Trump on tape in an effort to remove him under the 25th Amendment cannot be reconciled with the version of the account told by his apparent partner in that gambit, former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein. — Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, "Former Intelligence Chiefs Fit Perfectly into Media Advocacy Culture," 19 Dec. 2019 Many critics, who were never reconciled to his leadership, feel vindicated. — Stephen Castle, New York Times, "Battered U.K. Labour Party Ponders Next Move, as Corbyn Plans Exit," 13 Dec. 2019 None of those can be reconciled until Republicans and Democrats agree to top-line spending levels for each of the 12 bills within the overall $1.3 trillion budget cap enacted by bipartisan legislation in July. — Fortune, "Federal Government Shutdown Closer to Being Averted With House Vote," 19 Nov. 2019 There are two things going on: One is an ownership question and the other is a freedom of creativity question and the two can’t really be reconciled. — Candace Mcduffie, The Christian Science Monitor, "Q&A with Darryl Pinckney: The paradox of black visibility," 12 Nov. 2019 In that moment, the thorniest of issues of 30 years of bloodshed could be reconciled. — Nic Robertson, CNN, "Boris Johnson's Brexit talks teeter on brink of collapse. Here's how a Nobel prize-winner could help him," 9 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reconcile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Reconcile.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconciles. Accessed 24 January 2020.

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More Definitions for reconcile

reconcile

verb

English Language Learners Definition of reconcile

formal

: to find a way of making (two different ideas, facts, etc.) exist or be true at the same time

: to cause people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement

See the full definition for reconcile in the English Language Learners Dictionary

reconcile

verb

rec·on·cile | \ ˈre-kən-ˌsīl

reconciled; reconciling

Kids Definition of reconcile

1 : to make friendly again She helped to reconcile friends who had been quarreling.

2 : to settle by agreement : adjust You'll have to reconcile your differences.

3 : to make agree His story cannot be reconciled with the facts.

4 : to cause to give in or accept I reconciled myself to the loss.

reconcile

verb

rec·on·cile | \ ˈre-kən-ˌsīl

reconciled; reconciling

Legal Definition of reconcile

transitive verb

1a : to restore to harmony reconciled the parties reconciled the marriage

b : to bring to resolution reconcile differences

2a : to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy

b : to account for

intransitive verb

: to become reconciled specifically : to voluntarily resume cohabitation as spouses prior to a divorce becoming final with the mutual intention of remaining together and reestablishing a harmonious relationship denied the complaint for divorce because the parties had reconciled