appease

To give someone what they demand in order to stop their anger or prevent an attack.

• They offered gifts to appease the gods.
• The government appeased protesters by dropping the tax.
• Giving more land would only encourage the ruler they hoped to appease.

How to use it: appease someone with something (They tried to appease the rebels with promises of land.); appease someone by doing something (He appeased his critics by changing the rules.)

Similar words: placate, mollify, conciliate

Opposites: defy

Common phrases: appease an aggressor, appease the gods, appease someone's critics

To make an angry or threatening person calmer.

• Her gentle voice appeased him.
• The manager tried to appease the angry customer.
• Nothing we said could appease the furious crowd.

Similar words: calm, pacify, soothe, placate

Opposites: anger, provoke

Common phrases: appease someone, appease angry customers, appease the crowd

To reduce anger, unrest, or violent movement and make it peaceful.

• Time slowly appeased her anger.
• The promise of reform did little to appease the unrest.
• In the tale, a song appeases the storm.

Similar words: calm, soothe, quell, allay

Opposites: inflame, aggravate

Common phrases: appease someone's anger, appease the unrest, appease the storm