YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

placate

Verb

IPA /pləˈkeɪt/

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Meaning in plain English

To make an angry person feel calmer, often by giving them something they want or responding to their complaint.

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Pronunciation

placate/pləˈkeɪt/

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A neighbour is angry about a broken fence
You offer to repair the damage
The offer reduces the anger

To placate someone is to make them less angry, often by responding to their complaint.

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Examples in context

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We offered to repair the fence to placate our angry neighbour.
The organisers extended the deadline to placate students upset by the delay.

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Quick word quiz

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We offered to repair the fence to ________ our angry neighbour.

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placate — To make an angry person feel calmer, often by giving them something they want or responding to their complaint.

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To make an angry person feel calmer, often by giving them something they want or responding to their complaint.

Compare: We offered to repair the fence to placate our angry neighbour.

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Word origin

From Latin placare, meaning appease, through its past-participle form placatus.

Did you know?

A placating smile is intended to reduce anger or tension.

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