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
-
Anthropic appears to be trying to cool the tensions with the Pentagon, with Amodei striking a more conciliatory note in the most recent statement.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026 -
After initially trying to strike a conciliatory tone, Iran's security forces cracked down amid an internet blackout.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The primary seller gets to look benevolent, having kept prices low for fans.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
-
While the kind of protection offered by Herakles or the Hulk comes with the risk of uncontrollable rage and indiscriminate destruction, and Oedipus seems more of a supervillain than a benevolent guardian, there was a kind of Greek hero that was seen as a defender.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The rooms The 132 rooms (including nine suites and a presidential suite) feel airy, soothing, and upscale without veering fussy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Step one clears away dead skin and gunk with exfoliating acids like lactic, malic, and glycolic; step two adds in soothing, anti-aging ingredients like green tea and adenosine.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ice cream, water fights, kind people who aren’t weird and don’t smell unusual.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
No large production crew of the kind traditional late-night programs require.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Quiet reflection gains power as cerebral Mercury in your 12th House of Solitude trines jovial Jupiter in your comforting 4th house, guiding you through releasing past aches.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
-
And nothing is more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Things were relatively peaceful until my remarriage, which sent my ex over the edge.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Even in this usually peaceful beach town, where Republicans significantly outnumber Democrats, some have had enough.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Mar. 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 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
