4 answers by real people - What does it mean to placate?
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when you placate it means you are trying to please or put a person at ease. It is not the best of terms to use when being nice to a person. Placate often means there is a hidden agenda in the pleasing of that person. If I placate you, I might give you information in a pleasing manner just so you will not get upset or angry. This is not the strict Webster’s dictionary meaning. Example you are upset about something I have done. You complain and I try to wash the incident over with being sweet. Then I am trying to please you and you will forget what I have done.
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Definition: to sooth or make somebody less upset, usually by concessions
Synonyms: appease, pacify, mollify, conciliate
Antonyms: aggravate, antagonize, provoke, ruffle
Tips: In business, an important skill would be the ability to placate, or calm, a disgruntled client. To placate someone who is upset usually requires making a concession (giving something up) in order to pacify the person. This context of making a concession is the difference between placate and its synonyms allay, mollify, appease, and pacify.
Usage Examples:
In order to placate the angry customers, the restaurant compenesated their meals and offered gift certificates to encourage them to return. (pacify)
When he needed to placate his wife, Henry cleaned the house and had the kids diligently doing their chores upon her arrival. (appease)
That company has terrible customer service, and there’s not much they can do to placate my anger, at this point. (appease)
She tried to placate the angry client by offering him a month of free cable service. (appease, pacify)
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To calm or appease.
