Definitions
- Referring to an action taken to appease or satisfy a deity or spirit. - Describing an attempt to gain favor or forgiveness from someone in power or authority. - Talking about an effort to calm or pacify someone who is angry or upset.
- Referring to an action taken to reconcile or make peace between two parties. - Describing an attempt to smooth over a disagreement or conflict. - Talking about an effort to win over or gain the trust of someone who is hostile or suspicious.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe actions taken to resolve a conflict or improve a relationship.
- 2Both words involve efforts to gain favor or approval from someone else.
- 3Both words can be used in formal or informal contexts.
What is the difference?
- 1Focus: Propitiate focuses on satisfying a higher power or authority figure, while conciliate focuses on reconciling two parties.
- 2Intensity: Propitiate implies a more urgent need to appease or satisfy, while conciliate suggests a less pressing situation.
- 3Emotion: Propitiate often involves fear or reverence towards a deity or authority figure, while conciliate may involve empathy or understanding towards another person.
- 4Outcome: Propitiate aims to avoid punishment or negative consequences, while conciliate aims to create a positive outcome or resolution.
- 5Usage: Propitiate is less common than conciliate and may be seen as archaic or religious in some contexts.
Remember this!
Propitiate and conciliate are both verbs that describe actions taken to resolve a conflict or improve a relationship. However, propitiate focuses on satisfying a higher power or authority figure, while conciliate focuses on reconciling two parties. Propitiate implies a more urgent need to appease or satisfy, while conciliate suggests a less pressing situation. Additionally, propitiate is less common than conciliate and may be seen as archaic or religious in some contexts.
