verb
placate
pluh-KAYT
verb
1
To calm someone down and ease their anger.
"He offered a refund to placate the furious customer."
"Nothing she said could placate her boss after the deadline was missed."
How to Use Placate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo soothe someone's anger or make them less upset, often by giving them something they want.
Common mistake
Placate implies someone was already angry; it's not just "please" — you please a happy person, you placate an angry one.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
placate critics
attempt to placate
placate an angry customer
Word Forms
more placate comparative, placated past tense, placates singular, most placate superlative
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He offered a refund to _____ the furious customer.
Etymology
From Latin placatus, "calmed, appeased," related to placere, "to please."