To appease someone means to calm them down or satisfy them by giving them what they want, especially to avoid conflict or trouble. When your little brother is upset about losing at a game, you might appease him by suggesting you play his favorite game next. When ancient peoples wanted to appease their gods, they made offerings hoping to prevent disasters or earn good fortune.

The word often carries a hint of giving in when maybe you shouldn't. If a student breaks the rules and the teacher appeases them by removing the consequence, other students might think the rules don't really matter. During the 1930s, Britain and France tried to appease Hitler by letting him take over parts of Europe, hoping he would stop there. He didn't, and this appeasement became a famous example of how trying to avoid conflict by giving someone what they want can sometimes make things worse.

Appeasement is different from genuine compromise, where both sides give something up. When you appease someone, you're usually the one doing all the giving, often because you want to avoid their anger or keep the peace. Sometimes that's the right choice, but sometimes standing firm matters more.