redemption
Americannoun
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an act of atoning for guilt, a fault, or a mistake, or the state of having atoned.
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an act or the state of being rescued.
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Christianity. deliverance from sin; salvation.
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repurchase of something sold, such as to a pawn shop.
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paying off, as of a mortgage, bond, or note.
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recovery by payment, as of something pledged.
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conversion of paper money into coins.
noun
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the act or process of redeeming
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the state of being redeemed
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Christianity
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deliverance from sin through the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ
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atonement for guilt
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conversion of paper money into bullion or specie
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removal of a financial obligation by paying off a note, bond, etc
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( as modifier )
redemption date
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of redemption
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English redempcioun, from Middle French redemption, from Late Latin redēmptiōn-, stem of redēmptiō “deliverance, buyback,” from Latin redēmpt(us) “bought back” (past participle of redimere “to buy back, repurchase”; see redeem) + -iō -ion
Explanation
Redemption is the buying back of something. You might try for redemption by attempting to buy back a bike you sold, or you might attempt to buy back your soul after you steal someone else’s bike. Redemption comes from the Latin word redimere, a combination of re(d)-, meaning “back,” and emere, meaning “buy.” Redemption is what some people claim happens to your soul when you're saved from evil forces. You might pray for redemption — to the tooth fairy, to Zeus, or to some other kind of invisible being — in the hopes that an all-powerful being can save your soul. Redemption can also refer to the repayment of a debt.
Vocabulary lists containing redemption
Night
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Grade 9, List 2
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Vocabulary from Beyoncé's "Lemonade"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two years later came the redemption, the goal that won City the Champions League in 2023.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Cliffwater’s biggest fund got redemption requests representing around 16% of shares.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Private-credit funds like Blue Owl’s have seen a rise in redemption requests over the past year, as investors grew concerned about credit health and the funds’ exposure to software.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Kershaw earned his redemption in 2020, winning both of his World Series starts as the Dodgers won their first championship since 1988.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
He joined others in saying that equal, if not more, credit also goes to another person who had begun to turn tragedy into redemption.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
