propitiate

Propitiate is a verb meaning to win or regain the favor of someone, especially a deity or other powerful being, by performing acts that please them. It can also mean to appease or placate someone who is angry or hostile. In religious contexts, propitiation describes rituals, offerings, or prayers intended to avert divine anger and secure benevolence. In secular use, the term can describe conciliatory actions aimed at easing tension or preventing hostility, though it often carries a formal or old-fashioned tone.

Etymology and history: Propitiate derives from Latin propitiatus, past participle of propitiare, from propitius meaning favorable or inclined to grant a favor. The form entered English in the late medieval period and has been used in theological, ceremonial, and literary registers. The noun form is propitiation, referring to the act or practice of propitiating; the related adjective propitious means favorable, but is not synonymous with propitiate.

Usage notes: Propitiate is transitive and typically takes a direct object such as a deity, gods, or an angry person. It generally implies a deliberate, conciliatory action designed to avert anger or gain favorable consideration. Antonyms include antagonize, offend, and alienate. Common synonyms include appease, placate, conciliate, mollify, pacify.