# placate

/ˈpɫeɪkeɪt/ (US) · /plɐkˈeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/placate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to calm someone down

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make someone stop being angry by giving them what they want or saying something kind.

For teachers: to appease or pacify an individual who is angry or hostile, often through concessions or conciliatory gestures.

- The manager tried to placate the angry customer by offering a full refund.
- The administration attempted to placate the protesting students by promising a formal review of the tuition structure, though many remained skeptical.

Usage: This is a transitive verb that always requires a direct object, usually a person or a group.

Teaching tip: While the metadata suggests this word is archaic, it is actually quite common in formal modern English, especially in political or business contexts.

## 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.