Conciliatory
hardPositive tonekun-SIL-ee-uh-tor-ee
adjective
Definition
intended to placate or win goodwill; appeasing
Memory hook
conCILIatory: think 'reconcile'; you smooth things over to bring people back together.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“After the heated argument, she adopted a conciliatory tone to mend the rift.”
“His conciliatory gesture toward the rival faction eased months of tension.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“After the heated argument, she adopted a ______ tone to mend the rift.”
Show answer
conciliatory
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Conciliatory is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "placating" or "appeasing" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "antagonistic".
Related GRE Words
propitiate
to appease or win the goodwill of
fractious
Irritable, quarrelsome, or prone to conflict
renounce
to formally give up or reject a claim, right, or belief
aberrant
Deviating from what is normal or expected
artless
free of guile or pretense; naturally simple and sincere
capitulate
To surrender or give in, often after resisting
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