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Synonyms

apologize

American  
[uh-pol-uh-jahyz] / əˈpɒl əˌdʒaɪz /
especially British, apologise

verb (used without object)

apologized, apologizing
  1. to offer an apology or excuse for some fault, insult, failure, or injury.

    He apologized for accusing her falsely.

  2. to make a formal defense in speech or writing.


apologize British  
/ əˈpɒləˌdʒaɪz /

verb

  1. to express or make an apology; acknowledge failings or faults

  2. to make a formal defence in speech or writing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Spelling tips for apologize The word apologize is hard to spell because it is pronounced like it might be spelled with two as and a j [ uh-pol-uh-jahyz ]. To make it even more confusing, apologize is the American English spelling of the word. In British English, it is spelled with an s: apologise.How to spell apologize: The easiest way to remember how to spell apologize is to break it into three parts: apo - log - ize. The suffix -ize is used to describe kinds of behavior. You can also pronounce it this way in your head to help the spelling stick.

Other Word Forms

  • apologizer noun
  • reapologize verb (used with object)
  • unapologizing noun

Etymology

Origin of apologize

First recorded in 1590–1600; apolog(y) + -ize

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.

Several hours later, the bot apologized to Shambaugh for being “inappropriate and personal.”

From The Wall Street Journal

He was forced to apologize for the 2015 strike on a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, that was operated by Doctors Without Borders, a nonprofit that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

From Salon

The awkward spectacle in which he apologized for betraying an unnamed girlfriend transfixed the nation—then the entire world.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company had to scale back its payouts to former employees, according to people familiar with the matter, and Chief Executive Ivan Zhao apologized to them afterward.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pezeshkian has apologized for the violence, without acknowledging his government’s responsibility.

From The Wall Street Journal