Word
placate
Phoneticspla·cate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɫeɪkeɪt/
UK/plɐkˈeɪt/
Definition
v. to make someone stop being angry by giving them what they want or saying something kind.
v. to appease or pacify an individual who is angry or hostile, often through concessions or conciliatory gestures.
Examples
“He gave her a gift to try to placate her.”
“The manager offered a full refund to placate the angry customer and prevent a negative review.”
“The diplomat's primary goal was to placate the regional tensions before the summit, ensuring that all parties felt their concerns had been heard and addressed.”
Examples
simple
“He gave her a gift to try to placate her.”
contextual
“The manager offered a full refund to placate the angry customer and prevent a negative review.”
complex
“The diplomat's primary goal was to placate the regional tensions before the summit, ensuring that all parties felt their concerns had been heard and addressed.”
Real-World Examples
“He shoves a hell of a lot of jokes in along the way – from having to police his divorced mother’s suitor list to using football chat to placate angry men.” “I blurted out an apology and ran off, leaving another waiter to placate her while I sobbed in the kitchen.” Etymology
First attested in the late 17ᵗʰ century; borrowed from Latin plācātus, perfect passive participle of plācō (“appease, placate”, literally “smooth, smoothen”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more), ultimately thought to be from Proto-Indo-European plāk- (“smooth, flat”), from pele- (“broad, flat, plain”). Related to Latin placeō (“appease”), Old English flōh (“flat stone, chip”). More at please.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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