reconciliation

noun

rec·​on·​cil·​i·​a·​tion ˌre-kən-ˌsi-lē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce reconciliation (audio)
1
: the action of reconciling : the state of being reconciled
2
: the Roman Catholic sacrament of penance
3
US government : a legislative process that enables expedited passage of a bill relating to certain matters in the federal budget by a simple majority of votes
used reconciliation to repeal the bill passed during the prior session of Congress
Aides to senior House Republicans said Thursday that committee chairmen were meeting now to decide whether a budget plan … will include parliamentary language, known as reconciliation instructions, that would allow much of a Republican health care plan to pass the filibuster-prone Senate with a simple majority.Jonathan Weisman
reconciliatory adjective

Examples of reconciliation in a Sentence

Signing the trade agreement was praised as an act of reconciliation between the two countries. He contacted us in hopes of a reconciliation. a reconciliation of opposing views
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Catholic Jubilee Year – or Holy Year – was established in the 14th century by Pope Boniface VIII and is 12 months focused on forgiveness and reconciliation. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025 His father has vanished, their sins lie unatoned, the hope of reconciliation lost. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025 The two have continued to spend time together, confirming their reconciliation in a series of social media posts. Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 The recent budget reconciliation bill—with significant changes to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act insurance coverage—is estimated to result in 16 million more uninsured people within 10 years, including many of reproductive age. Mimi Zieman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reconciliation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English reconsiliacioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin reconciliation-, reconciliatio, from reconciliare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reconciliation was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Reconciliation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconciliation. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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