placate fears

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "placate fears" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to calm or reassure someone's fears or anxieties. For example, "The government's new measures sought to placate fears of financial instability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Stocks staged a strong comeback Thursday afternoon after an initial plunge at the opening bell, as a drop in oil prices helped placate fears about problems at some of the nation's biggest banks.

The New York Times

But Mr Humala, 48, has worked hard to placate fears he would nationalise industries and interfere with the inflow of billions of dollars in foreign investment, particularly in the mining sector.

BBC

Earlier Tuesday, the state-run Rossiya 24 television channel sought to draw a line between Russia and France, in an apparent attempt to placate fears of a Paris-style attack happening in Moscow.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

On Holbrooke's advice, she helped persuade Congress to be more generous to Pakistan, in a bid to placate its fears of being abandoned and so hopefully moderate its support of the Taliban.

The Guardian

Labour's lost love Let's go German Sin-free ale The father of fracking ReprintsTo placate French fears of foreign domination of one of the country's most prominent companies, for the time being the combined firm will keep headquarters in both Paris and New York and be listed on exchanges in both cities.

The Economist

The idea is to placate white fear by being palpable.

Huffington Post

Would I be Booker T. or W.E.B.? Maybe I'd be fine being the assembly line stooge, placating white fears with solemn "yes sirs," catching white tears with tissue made from the softest of silks, the cottonest of threads.

Huffington Post

Mayor Schaaf has tried to placate renewed displacement fears by emphasizing that she and her administration are committed to supporting the arts.

Vice

Yet sceptics worry that such initiatives are not the product of an overarching strategic vision, but are instead tactical moves designed to placate critics who fear Microsoft is drifting downwards.

The Economist

The continuation of Guan's education and move, for now, back towards a normal life might placate those who fear that exposing a 14-year-old to top-level sport may be harmful.

The Guardian - Sport

Until such time, the empty demagogy and dangerous brinkmanship that is the order of the day will continue to both placate and fuel those fears.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "placate fears", ensure that the subject taking action is clearly identified, specifying who is attempting to calm or reassure whom. For example, "The company issued a statement to placate investors' fears about the merger."

Common error

A common mistake is to omit who is doing the placating. Always specify the actor attempting to alleviate the fears to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of "Fears were placated," write "The announcement placated the public's fears."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "placate fears" functions as a verb phrase where "placate" is the verb and "fears" is the direct object. It typically describes an action taken to reduce or soothe anxieties. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and examples from Ludwig illustrate its usage in real-world contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "placate fears" is a grammatically sound and semantically clear expression used to describe actions taken to reduce or calm anxieties. As highlighted by Ludwig, its use is most common in news and media contexts. While not exceedingly frequent, it effectively conveys the intention to reassure and address concerns. For better writing, it's important to specify who is doing the placating and who or what is feared, as highlighted in the writing guidance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ease fears

Focuses on lessening the intensity of fear, rather than actively appeasing it.

allay fears

Suggests a more soothing or calming approach to reducing fears.

address fears

Implies directly confronting and dealing with the reasons behind the fears.

quell fears

Emphasizes suppressing or subduing fears, often in a more forceful way.

placate concerns

Shifts the focus slightly from deep-seated fears to more general worries or concerns.

defuse fears

Uses a metaphor of disarming a bomb, suggesting a careful and delicate handling of fears.

dampen fears

Indicates a reduction in the intensity or spread of fears, like reducing a fire.

relieve fears

Focuses on providing a sense of comfort or release from the burden of fears.

calm fears

Suggests a gentle and reassuring approach to alleviate worries.

alleviate fears

Indicates a lessening of the burden or intensity of fears, making them more bearable.

FAQs

What does "placate fears" mean?

"Placate fears" means to appease or calm someone's anxieties or apprehensions, often through actions or words intended to reassure them. It implies an effort to reduce their fear.

How can I use "placate fears" in a sentence?

You can use "placate fears" to describe actions taken to reduce anxiety. For example: "The government implemented new policies to "ease fears" about the economy."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "placate fears"?

Alternatives to "placate fears" include "allay fears", "address fears", or "quell fears". The best choice depends on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it always appropriate to try to "placate fears"?

While it's often beneficial to "relieve fears", it's important to ensure the actions taken are genuine and address the root cause of the anxiety, rather than offering superficial reassurances. Sometimes, addressing the underlying issues is more effective than simply attempting to placate.