propitiation

Propitiation is the act of gaining the favor of or making things right with someone, especially after having done something wrong.

Propitiation is the noun form of the verb propitiate, meaning to appease or gain the favor of.

Close synonyms of propitiation are conciliation and appeasement. Like those words, propitiation is commonly used in a religious context. It’s especially used in Christianity to refer to the act of propitiation that Christians believe Jesus made to atone for sin—or to the atonement that Christians believe they should make to God.

Example: Without propitiation, there can be no redemption.

The first records of propitiation come from around 1400. It comes from the Late Latin propitiātiōn-, meaning “appeasement.”

Propitiation is commonly used in situations in which a person has done something wrong and wants to regain someone’s favor. It’s more than an apology—propitiation typically involves doing something to earn forgiveness or redemption. For example, in propitiation for breaking a neighbor’s window, a child might offer to mow the neighbor’s lawn for three months. But the word isn’t often applied so informally. Most commonly, it’s used in a religious way, especially in reference to Jesus. Another sense of propitiation refers not to the act of atonement but to the thing that atones, and the word appears in some translations of the Bible to refer to Jesus as a living propitiation for sin.

What are some other forms related to propitiation?

• propitiate (verb)
• nonpropitiation (noun)

What are some synonyms for propitiation?

• conciliation
• appeasement
• atonement

What are some words that share a root or word element with propitiation? 

• propitiatory 

What are some words that often get used in discussing propitiation?

• appease
• atone
• redemption
• sin
• restitution 
• amends
• penance
• reparation
• apology

Propitiation is typically used in a religious context.

Our consciences will never enjoy peace till they rest on the propitiation for sins.

—John Calvin

— Banner of Truth (@BannerofTruth) November 19, 2019

Every year I fast few days early in propitiation for Ramadan. Today was first day and it went well <3 A bit of hunger and headache as normal.
Planning to do meditation changeling the entire month!
I drew a lot, and gonna try to focus and get all my unfinished drawings done!

— Tai Porto (@TaiPorto3) April 21, 2020

Not able to travel, but am now teaching some through SKYPE. Two weeks ago, I met with Pakistani pastors for a four hour Q&A. Yesterday, I taught on the atonement (propitiation) to pastors from Afghanistan. The grace of God in technology!

— Paul Washer (@paulwasher) July 4, 2018

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of propitiation?

A. conciliation
B. forgiveness
C. appeasement
D. atonement