Appeasement Meaning
/əˈpiːz.mənt/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe state of being appeased; the policy of giving in to demands in order to preserve the peace.
Sentence Examples
Appeasement must always trump confrontation.
The government pursued a policy of appeasement to avoid a conflict.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The policy of ____ towards the aggressor only delayed the inevitable conflict.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The policy of ____ failed to prevent the start of the major conflict.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English appesement, from Old French apaisement.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This decision is the end of any attempts at appeasement in our land; the end of urging us to get along with the dictators, the end of compromise with tyranny and the forces of oppression."
— 1941, Roosevelt, Franklin, White House Correspondents' Dinner:
"Senator, Saturday on television, you said that you had always thought that Quemoy and Matsu were unwise places to draw our defense line in the Far East. Would you comment further on that, and also address to this question: couldn't a pull-back from those islands be interpreted as appeasement?"
— 1960 October 7, Edward P. Morgan, 50:55 from the start, in Presidential Candidates Debate, via C-SPAN:
"What’s crucial is that the Taiwanese people preserve their individual freedom and the planet does not endure a third world war. The best way for the United States to pursue those goals is by maintaining America’s military support for Taiwan while also maintaining the “one China” framework that for more than four decades has helped keep the peace in one of the most dangerous places on earth.
Hawks will call this appeasement. So be it. Ask them how many American lives they’re willing to risk so the United States can have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan."
— 2021 May 5, Peter Beinart, “Biden’s Taiwan Policy Is Truly, Deeply Reckless”, in New York Times, archived from the original on 05 May 2021:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The policy of ____ towards the aggressor only delayed the inevitable conflict.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The policy of ____ failed to prevent the start of the major conflict.