RECONCILE
verb | REK-un-syle
What It Means
Reconcile has several meanings that have to do with settling or resolving things, such as differences, contradictions, and conflicts. It is also used to mean โto check a financial account against another for accuracyโ and โto cause someone to accept something unpleasant.โ
// Historians have never been able to reconcile the two eyewitness accounts of the battle.
// The estranged cousins eventually reconciled when they realised that neither could remember why they were fighting in the first place.
// Iโve finally reconciled myself to no longer driving a car with manual transmission.
Examples of RECONCILE
โDespite their long period of estrangement, [Graham] Nash and [David] Crosby had recently been reconciling their relationship. Nash spoke fondly of Crosbyโs music, emphasizing that the music they created together rose above their personal conflicts. โIโm very pleased that David and I were getting closer towards the end,โ Nash said in the podcast. โHe had a good life. I mean, what incredible music he made. He was a fantastic storyteller. I loved him dearly.โโ โ Aidin Vaziri, SFChronicle.com, 10 Apr. 2023
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Did You Know?
When faced with a kerfuffle, dustup, or other flavor of fracas, a conciliatory gesture or tone of voiceโone intended to gain goodwill or to reduce hostilityโcan go a long way toward reconciling the squabbling parties. This makes not only common but etymological senseโboth conciliatory and reconcile trace back to the Latin verb conciliare, meaning โto assemble, unite, or win over.โ Reconcile can also be used when itโs 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 โEven lexicographers must reconcile themselves to never knowing all the words.โ
Merriam Webster Dictionary
