appease

/əˈpiːz/

Group 7Difficulty 2/3

Definitions

(verb)
To pacify or placate by acceding to demands
GRE
(verb)
To relieve or satisfy a demand or feeling
GRE

Example in Context

Historians have debated whether the decision to appease the aggressor emboldened further territorial expansion or merely delayed the inevitable.

Synonyms

satisfycalmpacify

Etymology

To pacify someone by giving in to their requests.

  • ad- (Latin) — to
  • pacare (Latin) — to pacify

Memory Aid

🥬Sounds like “a peas

When you APEESE a toddler, you bribe them with a mountain of PEAS to stop crying!

Visual Association

🕊️A dove landing on a child, who is happily munching on peas to calm their tantrum.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “appease” mean on the GRE?

appease (verb) means “To pacify or placate by acceding to demands”. Historians have debated whether the decision to appease the aggressor emboldened further territorial expansion or merely delayed the inevitable.

How to remember “appease” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “appease” sounds like “a peas”. When you APEESE a toddler, you bribe them with a mountain of PEAS to stop crying!

What are synonyms for “appease”?

Common synonyms: satisfy, calm, pacify.