placating 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of placatingnext
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

placating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of placate
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for placating
  1. appeasing
  2. conciliatory
  3. soothing
  4. benevolent
  5. pacific
  6. kind
  7. peaceful
Verb
  • Representative Mike Lawler of New York, who has hinted at ambitions for a governor bid in 2026, according to the New York Post, will need to walk a fine line between appeasing his party and not upsetting potential voters in his home state, which could put him at odds with Republicans.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
  • According to Atlas Obscura, also on Christmas Eve, some families believe in appeasing the nisser—barn-dwelling house elves that are said to help residents survive tough winters—and many children continue to leave a bowl of risengrød, or sweet porridge, for the folkloric creatures.
    Chad de Guzman, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of appeasing
Adjective
  • His gestures, however conciliatory, were not enough to satisfy Le Pen.
    Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Critics of outgoing chair Greg Barclay, a pragmatic New Zealander, believed his role was merely reduced to conciliatory rather than agenda setting.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Definition of conciliatory
Adjective
  • Try providing the breed with a calmer and more soothing environment.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Neither Austan Goolsbee’s predictably soothing words nor the Friday index rebound were enough to offset fully the quicksilver repricing of Federal Reserve’s rate-setting path for next year, nor the 3% dump in the S & P 500 on Wednesday that followed the Fed’s decision and outlook release.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of soothing
Adjective
  • Welcome to 2025—a world of benevolent AI, robot assistants, biological breakthroughs, and the general promise of the future.
    Amy Sterling, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • In a most benevolent gesture, Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts has invited the most prolific home run hitter in franchise history, the man who sold more tickets to Wrigley Field than the beer and the ivy, to the team’s fan convention next month.
    Jon Greenberg, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of benevolent
Adjective
  • Xi must know that old societies tend to be pacific and that China is getting old fast.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Choose between two rich colors: pacific blue or yarrow gold.
    Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2024
Definition of pacific
Adjective
  • But the party went on, albeit cloaked anew as a fund-raiser for a kinder, gentler organization, the Good Neighbor Council for Aircraft Noise Control.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The Power Broker While the perennially good-natured (or, at least, politically savvy) Jennings has kind things to say about Richards’ work as a producer during that first post-Trebek season, the Jeopardy! family in general is reluctant to discuss Richards’ stint.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of kind
Adjective
  • Dunn said he was disappointed that the Senate was unable to reach the two-thirds threshold needed to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House for his role in the Jan. 6 riots and his attempt to delay the peaceful transfer of power.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
  • While Monday’s outcome revived a U.S. tradition that launches the peaceful transfer of presidential power, what’s unclear is if Jan. 6, 2021, was the anomaly or if this year’s calm becomes the outlier.
    Matt Brown, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of peaceful
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near placating

placates

placating

placative

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Cite this Entry

“Placating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/placating. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on placating

Nglish: Translation of placating for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of placating for Arabic Speakers

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