Meaning & Definition of word "Placate"

Placate

/pləˈkeɪt/

verb:

  • 1. to make (someone) less angry or hostile
    • Example: To placate the angry crowd, the manager promised to issue refunds.
  • 2. to calm or soothe someone by giving in to their demands
    • Example: She tried to placate her upset friend by offering to listen to her problems.
  • 3. to bring peace to; to calm
    • Example: The diplomat worked hard to placate the two nations' tensions through dialogue.
  • 4. to mitigate or allay (something)
    • Example: In an attempt to placate the critics, the author explained her writing choices in detail.

Etymology

From Latin 'placare', meaning 'to soothe, calm, or appease'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

placate someone's fears:

To calm down someone's worries or concerns.

placate the situation:

To resolve or diminish a tense or difficult circumstance.

placate the masses:

To appease a large group of people, especially in a political context.

Related Words

appease:

To calm or satisfy someone by giving in to their demands.

calm:

To bring peace or tranquility to someone or something.

pacify:

To bring peace to a situation or to someone who is angry.

Slang Meanings of placate

Meaning: Chill someone out

Example Sentence: He just needed to chill out after that argument.

Meaning: Smooth things over

Example Sentence: Let's smooth things over before the meeting.