as in appeasing
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility
a placating comment that seemed to calm everyone down a bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in comforting
to lessen the anger or agitation of
attempted to placate the screaming child by offering him a cookie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of placating
Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The story’s correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi accused CBS News management of placating the White House, turning the decision into a public relations fiasco for the network.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The majority of the more than 200 speakers at the hearings, however, criticized the draft plan, often with passionate testimony, arguing that the state was simply placating water users and failing to demand the deeper water cutbacks necessary for restoring the delta and the upstream rivers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
Since 2013, the Teatro Real has been led by the Catalan impresario Joan Matabosch, who has a flair for balancing progressive ideas against conservative tastes while placating political overseers.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
In 2018, Masahiro Sakurai made the biggest Smash yet, as the title suggests, taking years of post-release development and placating a fanbase that had hulking expectations, ending up with the third best selling game on Nintendo Switch.
—Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
The nominee will face a high-wire act of placating the president (who wants steep interest rate cuts) while keeping the trust of investors worried about high inflation and political influence on the central bank.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
This replaces placating with directly communicating out of respect for your longstanding relationship.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sought to tread a thin line between placating Polish sensitivities and avoiding the wrath of nationalist Ukrainians.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
But there’s no guarantee her successor will have any better success at placating the president.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The story’s correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi accused CBS News management of placating the White House, turning the decision into a public relations fiasco for the network.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The majority of the more than 200 speakers at the hearings, however, criticized the draft plan, often with passionate testimony, arguing that the state was simply placating water users and failing to demand the deeper water cutbacks necessary for restoring the delta and the upstream rivers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
Since 2013, the Teatro Real has been led by the Catalan impresario Joan Matabosch, who has a flair for balancing progressive ideas against conservative tastes while placating political overseers.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
In 2018, Masahiro Sakurai made the biggest Smash yet, as the title suggests, taking years of post-release development and placating a fanbase that had hulking expectations, ending up with the third best selling game on Nintendo Switch.
—Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
The nominee will face a high-wire act of placating the president (who wants steep interest rate cuts) while keeping the trust of investors worried about high inflation and political influence on the central bank.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
This replaces placating with directly communicating out of respect for your longstanding relationship.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sought to tread a thin line between placating Polish sensitivities and avoiding the wrath of nationalist Ukrainians.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for placating
Verb
-
Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged discussions between the two governments last week and pledged a series of reforms aimed at appeasing Washington, a concession that indicated both the urgency of the domestic crisis and the vulnerability of the regime.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
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But then appeasing tradition and upending it both at once, which certainly is the pragmatic philosophy of Lyric, always is a tricky matter.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The district’s public message has been conciliatory.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, the wealthy monarchy of Qatar, which sits on some of the world’s biggest natural gas reserves and maintains a vast and fragile infrastructure to extract it, has taken a much more conciliatory position, calling for immediate de-escalation and a quick return to business.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The final stretch, though, was less soothing as Plourde nudged ahead to stay.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Certain low-grade forms of depression can be easy to embrace, as familiar and comforting as an old friend.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The biscuit topping makes this chicken pot pie extra comforting and satisfying.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Walt had long described himself as a benevolent father to his workers, and the strike seemed an act of personal betrayal and disloyalty verging on patricide.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The common bonds that held the fabric of society together have been torn to shreds and sewn together into robes that adorn the would-be benevolent dictators of culture who explain everything, apologize for nothing and lend their credibility to anyone willing to pay their fee.—
Bruce Stockler,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Courtesy: Apple Apple on Tuesday sent invites to the media and analysts for a launch event at its campus on September 9 at 10 A.M pacific time.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Freedom of peaceful navigation is a basic principle of international maritime trade, but Iran has asserted control of the strait.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Bednar owns a ring and has established himself as a calming influence.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Third-year senior batterymate Caroline Ozman is a calming presence with a big bat, and sophomore speedster Ava Davenport (second base) has pop.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Placating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/placating. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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