Placater

A placater is an individual who attempts to appease or pacify someone, often to gain favor, avoid conflict, or alleviate feelings of anger or hostility. They typically employ soothing words, concessions, or actions designed to smooth over a situation and restore a sense of calm. A placater might offer apologies, make compromises, or provide reassurances, and their primary goal is to reduce tension and restore a favorable relationship, sometimes by giving into someone's demands, whether or not they are completely fair or justified.

Placater meaning with examples

• The union representative, recognizing the angry crowd outside the factory, adopted a placating tone, offering assurances of a swift resolution to their pay dispute and promising a meeting with management. This appeasement was designed to quell potential violence.
• Seeing her husband's growing frustration, the wife, a natural placater, quickly agreed to his request to change vacation plans. Her swift concession avoided a prolonged argument and maintained a peaceful atmosphere in the house, even if she wasn't completely happy.
• The hostage negotiator acted as a placater, speaking calmly and reassuringly to the captor, attempting to build trust and lower the captor's defenses. The goal was to prevent further escalation and to secure the safe release of the hostages through his words and demeanour.
• After receiving a negative performance review, the employee adopted the guise of a placater, immediately agreeing with his manager's criticisms, expressing his commitment to improvement, and suggesting changes that would please his boss in the hopes that it would smooth things over.