reconciliation
rek-uhn-sil-ee-AY-shuhn
Reconciliation (noun) means the restoration of friendly relations between people or groups who have been in conflict. Example: “After a decade of silence there was a reconciliation at their mother's funeral.”
noun
1
The restoration of friendly relations between people or groups who have been in conflict.
"After a decade of silence there was a reconciliation at their mother's funeral."
"The commission's work was framed as truth and reconciliation rather than prosecution."
"The two neighbours reached a reconciliation after years of arguing over the fence."
2
accounting The process of comparing two sets of records or accounts to check that they agree, and identifying and correcting any differences.
"The monthly bank reconciliation flagged a duplicate payment."
"Finance won't close the quarter until the reconciliation is signed off."
"The accountant spent the afternoon on the reconciliation of the supplier statements against the ledger."
3
The act of making two apparently conflicting ideas, accounts or requirements compatible with each other.
"The paper attempts a reconciliation of free will and determinism."
"Her book offers a reconciliation between scientific thinking and religious belief."
"Finding a reconciliation of work demands and family time is difficult for many parents."
How to use reconciliation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMaking peace after a fight, or making two sets of figures agree.
When to use it
Neutral; the accounting and legislative senses are technical.
Memory tip
The verb is reconcile: reconcile with a person, reconcile an account.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
truth and reconciliation
bank reconciliation
seek a reconciliation
reconciliation between
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After a decade of silence there was a _____ at their mother's funeral.
Etymology
From Latin reconciliare 'to bring together again, restore', from re- 'again' and conciliare 'to unite'.
Synonyms
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making up
rapprochement
reunion
peacemaking
détente
balancing
matching
tie-out
harmonisation
squaring
resolution
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for reconciliation
region
cation
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
See all rhymes for reconciliation →
Frequently asked questions
What is a bank reconciliation?
It is a check that the cash balance in a company's own books matches the balance on its bank statement, once timing differences such as uncleared cheques are accounted for. Anything that will not reconcile points to an error, a missing entry or fraud.
What is the difference between reconciliation and forgiveness?
Forgiveness happens inside one person: letting go of resentment towards someone who wronged you. Reconciliation takes two, and means rebuilding the actual relationship. You can forgive someone entirely and still choose not to reconcile with them.
What does reconciliation mean in US politics?
Budget reconciliation is a special legislative procedure that lets certain tax and spending bills pass the Senate with a simple majority, bypassing the filibuster. The word here has nothing to do with peacemaking — it refers to bringing legislation into line with the budget resolution.
What is the meaning of reconciliation?
"reconciliation" (noun) means the restoration of friendly relations between people or groups who have been in conflict.
