Appease

mediumNeutral tone

uh-PEEZ

verb

Definition

To pacify or placate someone by acceding to their demands

Memory hook

A-PEACE: Bring someone to PEACE -- appease their anger with concessions.

See more GRE words with mnemonics.

Word roots

adto(Latin)
paxpeace(Latin)

Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.

Examples

The government tried to appease the protesters with minor reforms.
She bought him a gift to appease his anger.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The government tried to ______ the protesters with minor reforms.
Show answer

appease

Synonyms

Antonyms

provokeaggravateantagonizeenrage

Categories

View all Conflict words

GRE Tip

Appease is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "pacify" or "placate" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "provoke".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

Related GRE Words

Master appease and 1,000+ GRE words

Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.