reconcile
verb
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When faced with a kerfuffle, dustup, or other flavor of fracas, a conciliatory gesture or tone of voice—one intended to gain goodwill or to reduce hostility—can go a long way toward reconciling the squabbling parties. This makes not only common but etymological sense—both conciliatory and reconcile trace back to the Latin verb conciliare, meaning “to assemble, unite, or win over.” Reconcile can also be used when it’s facts, ideas, etc. that are being brought into agreement, and when financial accounts are checked against one another for accuracy. Reconcile is not all feel-good vibes, however. If you reconcile yourself to something unpleasant you come to accept it, as in “Even lexicographers must reconcile themselves to never knowing all the words.”
Examples of reconcile in a Sentence
John Grisham, The Chamber, 1995
He thought they might reconcile the Parisians to his daring design by reminding them of the familiar arches of their bridges.
—Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990
By exposing the comic-pathetic quality of the human condition, it temporarily reconciles us to that condition without creating in us complacence, lethargy, or any negative emotion.
—Clifton Fadiman, Center Magazine, January-February 1971
It is a function of architecture to reconcile technology with human cussedness, to make the mechanics of life endurable …
—Russell Lynes, Harper's, October 1968
It can be difficult to reconcile your ideals with reality.
historians have never been able to reconcile the two eyewitness accounts of the battle
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 15 July 2025
After despising and envying his seemingly perfect new partner from afar, their coffee date is a chance for Jessica to reconcile with the fact that Wendy was never the bad guy after all.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 July 2025
Gunn’s new vision finds Superman fighting to reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent.
—Rod Pocowatchit, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
Opened in September 2022, Casa Cipriani Milano sees the group return to its roots, embodying the very best of classic Milanese hospitality and design, while reconciling it with the old-world feel of an English gentleman’s club.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for reconcile
Cite this Entry
“Reconcile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconcile. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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