as in conciliatory
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility
sent his girlfriend flowers as a propitiatory gesture for a date gone sour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propitiatory
Adjective
-
Yet, as uproar over the shooting grew, videos of the incident spread and the administration's narrative unraveled, the White House changed course and adopted a more conciliatory approach.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
30 Jan. 2026 -
At his press conference to preview Saturday’s game against West Ham, Nuno struck a more conciliatory tone.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
We are mostly meant to feel the movie, to allow our souls to be prodded and hugged tightly by this benevolent picture’s generous assessment of the most dangerous animal to ever exist on the planet.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trump should ask himself whether stirring a hornet’s nest serves any purpose other than pointlessly alienating a benevolent neighbor that is beginning to pad its insurance policy by reaching out to non-hemispheric powers.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In a social, psychological context, Masli is a facilitator, a quirky social worker with a golden leg for an arm, an upswept hairstyle that’s half hair and half hat, a makeshift blue gown that might’ve once been a blanket and a soft-spoken soothing presence.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Being loved does not always feel soothing.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Wei joins Bridgerton season 4 as Posy Li, Araminta's youngest daughter who's much kinder than her mother and older sister.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Given that Testing couldn’t even crack 80,000 in an era that was relatively kinder to hip-hop on the Billboard 200 — as well as the eight years of false starts and the lack of true pre-release hit — Don’t Be Dumb pulled off something just short of a miracle.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The couple's daughter recalled a warm and comforting childhood.—
Nicole Nielsen,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Some of the behaviors most strongly associated with deep, durable love don’t feel comforting in the moment at all.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Amid persisting violence from criminal groups in a country long considered a peaceful tourist hub, polling reveals that Costa Ricans are most concerned about security this year.—
Djenane Villanueva,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
After a peaceful march to the Georgia State Capitol that swelled into the hundreds, protestors returned to the area around the Centennial Olympic Park and CNN Center, where some confronted police, who sprayed some demonstrators with pepper spray.—
Ernie Suggs,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Propitiatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propitiatory. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
