vocab quick question

[cristina.boquin]

Assuage
Mollify
Placate
Propitiate

After looking back at the sentences I came up with for these 4 words, I realize they could almost be used interchangeably, and may even come up as synonyms of each other in certain sources. Can you provide any examples where you would advise against using them interchangeably, or assuming they are synonyms in a GRE context? In the case of "propitiate", its usage could be applied in cases of conciliation or making amends, for the rest they all seem to mean "soothe/calm". Although appease is also a synonym for all of them think...
Thanks!
Cristina

[tommywallach]

Hey Cristina,

Good news! They're synonyms. The GRE would never expect you to choose between them.

-t