as in to appease
to lessen the anger or agitation of
attempted to placate the screaming child by offering him a cookie
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Recent Examples of placate
Despite both countries’ efforts to placate Trump and respond swiftly to reasonable requests, Trump did not exempt them from his harsh 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum.
—
Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
The man literally bailed on their wedding day, but we were somehow meant to believe that getting married at City Hall placated his commitmentphobia.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The Red Bull team principal refuted the allegations, before Verstappen himself intervened to placate both parties.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
This is, of course, a lie, meant to placate Mark S. just enough to get him back to his desk.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for placate
Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
The man literally bailed on their wedding day, but we were somehow meant to believe that getting married at City Hall placated his commitmentphobia.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025
The Red Bull team principal refuted the allegations, before Verstappen himself intervened to placate both parties.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
This is, of course, a lie, meant to placate Mark S. just enough to get him back to his desk.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for placate
Cite this Entry
“Placate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/placate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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