condone
Americanverb (used with object)
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condones,
present (3rd person singular)
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condoned,
past participle, past
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condoning
present participle
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to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like).
The government condoned the computer hacking among rival corporations.
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to give tacit approval to.
By his silence, he seemed to condone their behavior.
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to pardon or forgive (an offense); excuse.
His employers are willing to condone the exaggerations they uncovered in his résumé.
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to cause the condonation of; justify the pardoning of (an offense).
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Law. to forgive or act so as to imply forgiveness of (a violation of the marriage vow).
His spouse condoned his infidelity from the early years of their marriage.
verb
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to overlook or forgive (an offence)
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law (esp of a spouse) to pardon or overlook (an offence, usually adultery)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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condonesimple
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condonessimple
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have condonedperfect
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has condonedperfect
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am condoningprogressive
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are condoningprogressive
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is condoningprogressive
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have been condoningperfect progressive
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has been condoningperfect progressive
Past
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condonedsimple
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had condonedperfect
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was condoningprogressive
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were condoningprogressive
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had been condoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of condone
First recorded in 1615–25, but in general currency from its use in the British Divorce Act of 1857 (see condone def. 5 ); from Latin condōnāre “to absolve, grant pardon,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + dōnāre “to give”; see origin at con-, donate
Explanation
If you condone something, you allow it, approve of it, or at least can live with it. Some teachers condone chewing gum, and some don't. Things that are condoned are allowed, even if everyone isn't exactly thrilled about it. People often say, "I don't condone what he did, but I understand it." Condoning is like excusing something. People seem to talk more about things they don't condone than things they do condone. Your mom might say, "I don't condone you staying up till 10, but I know you need to read." That's a way of giving approval and not giving approval at the same time.
Vocabulary lists containing condone
The Hunger Games
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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.
See Examples For:
"Obviously I don't condone stealing, but I really sympathise with any parent that finds themselves in a situation like that."
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
“I want to be clear that the city of Riverside doesn’t condone this behavior, but we are responsible for fixing the situation that led to it,” she said at the June 9 City Council meeting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Cassileth says she doesn’t condone buying peptides online.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
“So even if they’re aware that they’re not supposed to condone the way people are speaking, or they shouldn’t be that way in those environments, they will condone it,” she said.
From Salon ● Feb. 24, 2026
Future generations are unlikely to condone our lack of prudent concern for the integrity of the natural world that supports all life.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
The main objection is that it condones lying.
From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024
Grove, whom I spoke with Thursday, was clear she condones none of those tactics “in any way, shape or form.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
She also promised that a warning card would be added to the film, saying that it "in no way condones or recommends the use of restraint on autistic people".
From BBC ● May 31, 2023
Will Reinert, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said “no one condones violence against elected officials.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2023
However stupid, bad or wicked a man may have been, if he is only rude into the bargain, he condones and legitimizes all his faults.
From The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer: the Wisdom of Life by T. Bailey (Thomas Bailey) Saunders
The Central Asian leader, who is a Moscow ally but who has never condoned Russia's offensive, said the roots of the war are "not understandable".
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
The firm has said it “categorically does not engage in, nor has it ever condoned, the exchange of money for client retention.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
Furey added that Kwatra’s supervisors condoned his distribution of gift cards and other perks to clients to entice them to continue shopping at Saks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 25, 2025
Mr Aminudeen said any "disrespect" for Ramadan would not be condoned.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2025
Not unusual in these parts, but obviously not condoned by the Boyds.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
It isn’t about the Court condoning Mr. Olivier’s speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
Tadjadit's lawyer, Fetta Sadat, said in a post on Facebook that her client was convicted of "condoning terrorism", "supporting terrorist organisations" and "spreading extremist ideas", among other charges.
From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025
This is the stuff only the fan of a 17th century witch-sentencing, marital-rape condoning jurist could conjure.
From Slate ● May 29, 2024
“They need to be condemned and there’s no place to sit on the fence here: You’re either condemning it or you’re condoning it.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
In the evening, “I often have to shut my ears to their gossip. If I join in, I feel as though I’m condoning them and I feel bad.”
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions 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.
