appeasement.

An attempt to reduce hostility or prevent aggression by satisfying another party’s demands.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a policy of appeasement
• an act of appeasement
• appeasement of an aggressor

On the page

His apology was an act of appeasement meant to prevent another outburst.

The neighbors debated whether paying the extortionist amounted to appeasement.

She distinguished practical de-escalation from appeasement that rewarded threats.

Usage notes

Primary category: fear. A strategy, not a feeling; fear may motivate it. Can imply harmful concessions, especially in political contexts, but not every de-escalation is appeasement. Usually uncountable in this sense.