Appease

/əˈpiːz/

Meaning & Definition

verb
To pacify or placate (someone) by granting concessions.
The government tried to appease the protesters by promising reforms.
To soothe or calm (a situation or a person).
She attempted to appease her angry friend with an apology.
To bring to a state of peace or quiet.
The manager hoped to appease the tensions in the office with a team-building exercise.

Etymology

Middle English 'appeasen', from Old French 'apaisier', from 'a-' (from) + 'pais' (peace).

Common Phrases and Expressions

appease the crowd:
to calm the audience or group by addressing their concerns or demands
appease someone's anger:
to soothe or mitigate someone's anger by concessions or apologies
appease a demand:
to comply with a request or demand to avoid conflict

Related Words

Slang Meanings

To give in to avoid problems.
He decided to appease her by letting her choose the movie.
To buy peace.
Sometimes you just have to appease the kids with ice cream.