appease

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb appease differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of appease are conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, and propitiate. While all these words mean "to ease the anger or disturbance of," appease implies quieting insistent demands by making concessions.

appease their territorial ambitions

Where would conciliate be a reasonable alternative to appease?

The meanings of conciliate and appease largely overlap; however, conciliate suggests ending an estrangement by persuasion, concession, or settling of differences.

conciliating the belligerent nations

When can mollify be used instead of appease?

The synonyms mollify and appease are sometimes interchangeable, but mollify implies soothing hurt feelings or rising anger.

a speech that mollified the demonstrators

When is pacify a more appropriate choice than appease?

The words pacify and appease can be used in similar contexts, but pacify suggests a soothing or calming.

pacified by a sincere apology

When might placate be a better fit than appease?

While in some cases nearly identical to appease, placate suggests changing resentment or bitterness to goodwill.

a move to placate local opposition

When would propitiate be a good substitute for appease?

The words propitiate and appease are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.

propitiated his parents by dressing up

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of appease Fiscal hawks speak out Another faction in Congress has voiced opposition to the spending levels in the legislation, advocating for deeper cuts that have often worked counter to leadership's efforts to appease other members of their conferences. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 24 June 2025 No thanks, says Newsom Education Tulane scientist resigns citing university censorship of pollution and racial disparity research Kimberly Terrell accused the university of sacrificing academic freedom to appease Louisiana’s Republican governor. South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 12 June 2025 Another fight is brewing between House and Senate Republicans, with the Senate GOP seeking to cut the state and local tax deduction cap after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) spent weeks negotiating it higher to appease conservatives from blue states. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 12 June 2025 What To Watch For The bill, passed by the House in a party-line vote last month after last-minute revisions to appease Republican holdouts, is being negotiated by the Senate. Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for appease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appease
Verb
  • There also appeared to be a number of parochial changes aimed at placating some of the most vocal opponents of the legislation, including several for Alaska, home to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has said the measure would hurt her state.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025
  • Last week, Carvalho tried to placate them — and his board — by putting an additional one-time augmentation of $50 million into the Black Student Achievement Plan, or BSAP, for the 2025-26 school year, bringing funding to $175 million.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo put his arm around Marte during a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning in an effort to comfort the two-time All Star.
    Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • Sadie Robertson, who is expecting her third baby with her husband Christian Huff, further comforted her sister on the podcast.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Garlic’s many health benefits include immunity support, soothing inflammation, and boosting collagen production.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 1 July 2025
  • The writer-director made sure all players honored poker rules and that movies were playing so anyone mad about a poker loss could soothe their financial pain.
    Samantha Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Then the governor, seemingly trying to please the president, vetoed laws that assist Floridians in survival mode.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 July 2025
  • Two tiebreaking runs scored, a fact that pleased Altuve far more than another milestone in a career full of them.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • And, if that process proved tortuous and violent, what role could the U.S. have in trying to pacify a nation of almost 90 million people?
    Niall Stanage, The Hill, 18 June 2025
  • Sheinbaum’s government claims these tactics are already pacifying the country, with homicides officially down almost 25 percent since September.
    WILL FREEMAN, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • The credulous faith that these superpowers will voluntarily settle for some form of peaceful coexistence, if only they are sufficiently propitiated with concessions, is naive and dangerous.
    Michael Miklaucic, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Since 1979, the United States has sought to contain or propitiate the regime in Tehran.
    Danielle Pletka, National Review, 6 Nov. 2023
Verb
  • The new agreement attempts to support Kyiv while mollifying neighbors.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 1 July 2025
  • But the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte worked hard to get all the allies to commit to five percent on defense spending and went out of his way to mollify Trump, Williams said.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Myung-gi tries to calm him down, but a sobbing Player 39 has already made up his mind and throws himself off the edge.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • An agent with a baseball hat and FBI vest pats his heart and appears to be talking to him and trying to calm him down.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Appease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appease. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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