reconcile
verb
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When faced with a kerfuffle, dustup, or other flavor of fracas, a conciliatory gesture or tone of voice—one intended to gain goodwill or to reduce hostility—can go a long way toward reconciling the squabbling parties. This makes not only common but etymological sense—both conciliatory and reconcile trace back to the Latin verb conciliare, meaning “to assemble, unite, or win over.” Reconcile can also be used when it’s facts, ideas, etc. that are being brought into agreement, and when financial accounts are checked against one another for accuracy. Reconcile is not all feel-good vibes, however. If you reconcile yourself to something unpleasant you come to accept it, as in “Even lexicographers must reconcile themselves to never knowing all the words.”
Synonyms
Examples of reconcile in a Sentence
John Grisham, The Chamber, 1995
He thought they might reconcile the Parisians to his daring design by reminding them of the familiar arches of their bridges.
—Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990
By exposing the comic-pathetic quality of the human condition, it temporarily reconciles us to that condition without creating in us complacence, lethargy, or any negative emotion.
—Clifton Fadiman, Center Magazine, January-February 1971
It is a function of architecture to reconcile technology with human cussedness, to make the mechanics of life endurable …
—Russell Lynes, Harper's, October 1968
It can be difficult to reconcile your ideals with reality.
historians have never been able to reconcile the two eyewitness accounts of the battle
Zev Fima, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024
The couple later reconciled and remained together until Lennon's murder in 1980.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Some visitors, who have come to view wildlife, struggle to reconcile their love of animals with respect for Inuit hunting culture.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2024
How Far Does Their Number Sense Go? Secrets of Math From the Bee Whisperer
Physicists Attack Math’s $1,000,000 Question
All the researchers agreed that these studies are only a start in uncovering how our brains process zero, and how to reconcile its different modes.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reconcile 
Dictionary Entries Near reconcile
Cite this Entry
“Reconcile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconcile. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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reconcile
verb
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reconcile
verb
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