as in appeasing
tending to lessen or avoid conflict or hostility
a placating comment that seemed to calm everyone down a bit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in comforting
to lessen the anger or agitation of
attempted to placate the screaming child by offering him a cookie
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of placating
Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
If Paul’s creed is essentially Roman, then Christianity looks, from the outset, like a religion trained to live with empire, its compass always set toward placating power.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
But there’s no guarantee her successor will have any better success at placating the president.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Without these questions, our decisions become about placating requests.
—Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
The story’s correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi accused CBS News management of placating the White House, turning the decision into a public relations fiasco for the network.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The majority of the more than 200 speakers at the hearings, however, criticized the draft plan, often with passionate testimony, arguing that the state was simply placating water users and failing to demand the deeper water cutbacks necessary for restoring the delta and the upstream rivers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
In 2018, Masahiro Sakurai made the biggest Smash yet, as the title suggests, taking years of post-release development and placating a fanbase that had hulking expectations, ending up with the third best selling game on Nintendo Switch.
—Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
The nominee will face a high-wire act of placating the president (who wants steep interest rate cuts) while keeping the trust of investors worried about high inflation and political influence on the central bank.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
In your opinion, should the shop have handled this differently—perhaps compensating or at least placating me?
—Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
If Paul’s creed is essentially Roman, then Christianity looks, from the outset, like a religion trained to live with empire, its compass always set toward placating power.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
But there’s no guarantee her successor will have any better success at placating the president.
—Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Without these questions, our decisions become about placating requests.
—Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Forbes.com, 12 Mar. 2026
The story’s correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi accused CBS News management of placating the White House, turning the decision into a public relations fiasco for the network.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The majority of the more than 200 speakers at the hearings, however, criticized the draft plan, often with passionate testimony, arguing that the state was simply placating water users and failing to demand the deeper water cutbacks necessary for restoring the delta and the upstream rivers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
In 2018, Masahiro Sakurai made the biggest Smash yet, as the title suggests, taking years of post-release development and placating a fanbase that had hulking expectations, ending up with the third best selling game on Nintendo Switch.
—Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025
The nominee will face a high-wire act of placating the president (who wants steep interest rate cuts) while keeping the trust of investors worried about high inflation and political influence on the central bank.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for placating
Verb
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Over the past month, Iranian officials have tried to carefully balance negotiations with Trump while appeasing powerful factions across the country’s diverse political landscape, including the Paydari group.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged discussions between the two governments last week and pledged a series of reforms aimed at appeasing Washington, a concession that indicated both the urgency of the domestic crisis and the vulnerability of the regime.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Xi nonetheless struck a more conciliatory tone when describing the overall relationship.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
In their joint statement Wednesday, the district and the station struck a conciliatory tone.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Opt for the signature Polynesian massage, which mimics soothing wave-like movements from head to toe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
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The formula includes hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, giving it a soothing, balm-like feel that softens lips overnight.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The authors of the study found that, although honesty remains important overall, many individuals actually preferred comforting or reassuring dishonesty over the harsh truth in certain situations.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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Sunday Chicken tastes deeply savory and comforting, with the mustard and oregano giving the crispy skin a subtle tang and herbaceous warmth.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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The overflow doctor had benevolent eyes and doughy cheeks, like fresh loaves of bread.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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That’s particularly noteworthy with sloths, with faces configured in a permanently benevolent expression.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Olivier tried successfully to get the reader to understand how a gentle, pacific young man could come to kill more than a thousand people, and so capturing the tone and empathetic portrayal not only of Simo Häyhä and his colleagues but also of the often-bewildered Russian soldiers was essential.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
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Courtesy: Apple Apple on Tuesday sent invites to the media and analysts for a launch event at its campus on September 9 at 10 A.M pacific time.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Brooks told Fox News Digital that approximately 750 men attended the gathering, where community members committed to maintaining the neighborhood as a peaceful environment for families and children.—
Greg Wehner , Anders Hagstrom,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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Not high up in the clouds, but down into my body, a much more peaceful place than my brain.—
Blake Crisses,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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In fact, Branch adds, studies have proven that incorporating natural materials into spaces can even reduce stress levels, and what could be more calming than that?—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Placating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/placating. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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