Appease
/əˈpiːz/
verbB2
Definition
Appease means to stop someone from being angry or upset by giving them something they want or by acting in a way that makes them feel better. It often involves calming a difficult person or situation by offering a solution or making a compromise.
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⚡ See It in Action
To calm anger or disagreement by giving what is wanted
- •The manager tried to appease the angry customers with a refund.
- •To appease the protesters, the government promised to listen to their concerns.
- •She gave her brother some candy to appease him after their argument.
To make peace or reduce tension by offering something
- •The country tried to appease its neighbors by signing a peace treaty.
- •The leader’s speech was meant to appease fears about the future.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "appease" like "calm," but with action—doing something to make someone less angry or upset
- ✓Picture a child crying, and the parent gives a toy to make the child stop crying and feel happy again
- ✓It's the feeling when you solve a problem by making peace or giving in a little to keep calm
- ✓Sounds like "a-PEACE" → imagine creating peace between two people by giving a gift or saying sorry
- ✓Think of stories where kings give gifts to enemies to avoid war—this is appeasing
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (which means to not pay attention), appease means to actively do something to reduce anger
- ✓NOT like "fight" (which causes more anger), appease tries to stop anger and create calm
- ✓NOT like "agree" (which means to have the same opinion), appease might mean giving in even if you don't fully agree
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Pacify: to make peaceful or calm (Use when focusing on stopping anger or violence)
- •Satisfy: to give what someone wants (Use when the focus is on meeting needs or desires)
- •Soothe: to gently calm or comfort (Use when calming feelings, especially pain or sadness)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "ap-" (a form of "ad-" meaning to, toward) + "pease" (from Latin "pacare" meaning to make peace)
- •Etymology: From Latin "appacare," meaning to bring peace or calm
- •Historical development: Used since the 1400s in English to mean calming anger or conflict by giving in or offering something
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in politics, personal relationships, and business to describe actions that reduce anger or conflict
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can appeasing someone always solve a problem, or can it sometimes cause more issues? Why?
•How do you feel when someone tries to appease you? Do you prefer honesty or appeasement in difficult situations?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The company tried to appease the customers ___ offering free repairs and discounts.
2.When the two friends argued, she gave a gift to appease ___ and restore their friendship.
3.Unlike ignoring problems, to appease means to ___ the anger or disagreement by acting.
4.The government’s attempt to appease the protesters was met with ___ because it did not solve the main issues.
5.Leaders often try to appease fears by ___ clear and honest communication.
6.To successfully appease someone, you usually need to understand what ___ them upset.
7.She tried to appease her parents after breaking the vase by ___ to their feelings and apologizing.