conciliate

/kənˈsɪlieɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈsɪlieɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈsi-lē-ˌāt/ (ame, mw)

conciliate — verb

  • conciliatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • conciliateshe / she / it
  • conciliatedpast simple
  • conciliating-ing form

1. to reduce someone's anger or opposition through tact, kindness, or a willingness

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to reduce someone's anger or opposition through tact, kindness, or a willingness to compromise.

例句

The minister met angry farmers to conciliate them before the vote.

conciliate + group object in a political dispute

A careful apology helped conciliate the neighbors after the late party.

conciliate after causing offense

同義詞
  • appease

    often stresses calming anger by giving someone what they want

  • placate

    close in meaning, but often sounds slightly stronger or more tactical

  • win over

    more informal and focuses on gaining support rather than easing anger

反義詞
  • alienate

    means to make someone feel unfriendly or opposed instead

  • provoke

    focuses on causing anger rather than calming it

文法句型

conciliate + person / group

conciliate + person / group + by + -ing

用法筆記

Usually takes a person or group object such as voters, critics, or relatives. It suggests a deliberate attempt to soften opposition through apology, compromise, or kindness.

常見錯誤

❌I conciliated my friend after her cat died.
✅I comforted my friend after her cat died.
💡conciliate is mainly used for calming anger or resistance, not ordinary sadness.

2. to bring two ideas, demands, or plans into agreement so that they can work toget

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to bring two ideas, demands, or plans into agreement so that they can work together.

例句

The report tries to conciliate safety rules with faster train service.

conciliate A with B

Lauren struggled to conciliate her parents' wishes with her study plans.

同義詞
  • reconcile

    the closest formal synonym, especially for ideas that seem hard to fit together

  • harmonize

    often used when different parts are made to work smoothly together

  • balance

    more common and less formal; often suggests weighing two needs rather than fully reconciling them

反義詞
  • conflict

    describes two things being in opposition instead of fitting together

文法句型

conciliate A with B

用法筆記

Most often links two things with with, especially rules, interests, or design choices. It is more formal than balance or combine, and is common in careful discussion rather than everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌The bag conciliates my books with my laptop.
✅The bag holds my books and laptop.
💡conciliate means to make demands or ideas fit together, not to contain physical things.