propitiate

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 6, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>propitiate</strong> &#149; \proh-PISH-ee-ayt\&nbsp; &#149; <em>verb</em><br /> <p><em>Propitiate</em> means "to gain or regain the favor or goodwill of someone"—in other words, "to make someone pleased or less angry."</p> <p>// Fans of the team wondered how to <em>propitiate</em> the football gods after yet another heartbreaking defeat.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propitiate">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"Borlaug was in Mexico for a small side project that involved … a fungus that is wheat's oldest and worst predator (the Romans made sacrifices to <em>propitiate</em> the god of <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stem%20rust">stem rust</a>)." — Charles C. Mann, <em>The Atlantic</em>, 23 Jan. 2018</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Propitiate</em> tends to suggest averting the anger or malevolence of a superior being. You might "appease" your hunger, but to speak more colorfully, you could "propitiate the gods of hunger." The word is related to <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propitious">propitious</a></em>, an adjective meaning "likely to have or produce good results" or "being a good omen."</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>