condone

[ kuhn-dohn ]

/ kənˈdoʊn /

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See synonyms for: condone / condoning / condonable on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), con·doned, con·don·ing.

to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like): The government condoned the computer hacking among rival corporations.

to give tacit approval to: By his silence, he seemed to condone their behavior.

to pardon or forgive (an offense); excuse: His employers are willing to condone the exaggerations they uncovered in his résumé.

to cause the condonation of; justify the pardoning of (an offense).

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.

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Origin of condone

First recorded in 1615–25, but in general currency from its use in the British Divorce Act of 1857 (see def. 5 ); from Latin condōnāre “to absolve, grant pardon,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + dōnāre “to give”; see origin at con-,donate

OTHER WORDS FROM condone

con·don·a·ble, adjectivecon·don·er, nounun·con·doned, adjectiveun·con·don·ing, adjective

Words nearby condone

con dolore, condom, condominium, Condon, condonation, condone, condor, Condorcet, condottiere, conduce, conducive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use condone in a sentence

I don’t condone or condemn recreational use, but if you think “I’ll go to Burning Man and heal my depression by scoring some molly,” you might be disappointed.
“I understand what joy is now”: An MDMA trial participant tells his story|Charlotte Jee|August 25, 2021|MIT Technology Review
He later clarified that he didn’t “condone or support the violence and lawlessness that took place.”
Voepel Won’t Pass Any Bills This Year|Devin Whatley|July 2, 2021|Voice of San Diego
There is no policy barring an officer from doing what’s shown in the video, but “there is a code of conduct on how we should carry ourselves in public,” Kelly said, adding that the sheriff’s office does not “condone” the deputy’s behavior.
An officer played a Taylor Swift song to keep his recording off YouTube. Instead it went viral.|Julian Mark|July 2, 2021|Washington Post
“A vote to follow the subcommittee’s … recommendation … is a vote to condone the lapses in good governance and proper diligence that ultimately led to AB 805,” he said.
Politics Report: Ghost Guns Exploding|Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts|June 12, 2021|Voice of San Diego

“We do not condone or tolerate verbal or physical abuse of our flight crews, who are responsible for the safety of our passengers,” Mainz said.
Video shows a woman punching a Southwest flight attendant in the face, knocking out teeth: ‘It was all bad’|Andrea Salcedo|May 28, 2021|Washington Post
In an act of corporal punishment that we at the Daily Beast do not condone, Joseph grabbed Him by the ear and “pulled hard.”
Was Baby Jesus A Holy Terror?|Candida Moss|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The union does not under any circumstance condone violence of any kind, including against police officers.
The High-Priced Union Rep Charged With Attacking a Cop|Jacob Siegel|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On Thursday, Bridenstine responded that he “did not condone” the comments calling for Obama to be executed.
The Right’s Dangerous Rhetoric: Obama as an ‘Enemy Combatant’|Dean Obeidallah|February 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The grand intelligent design blueprint surely would not and could not condone such a partition.
What the Man With No Ass Crack Can Teach Darwinists and Creationists|Kent Sepkowitz|January 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If you ignore wrongdoing,” said Clohessy, “you condone wrongdoing.
From Dirty War to Child Abuse, Church’s Past Confronts Pope Francis|Christopher Dickey|March 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Whatever the past had been, Lady Hartledon appeared to condone it; at least she no longer openly resented it to her husband.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Their admitted reverence for Sheitan constitutes an abomination which neither Moslem nor Christian can condone.
The Cradle of Mankind|W.A. Wigram
No just-minded person, whatever his sympathies, can condone such unfair and un-British tactics of war.
Thirty Years in Australia|Ada Cambridge
In the study of war we should seek the causes, be impersonal, and neither condone nor accuse.
Fundamental Peace Ideas including The Westphalian Peace Treaty (1648) and The League Of Nations (1919)|Arthur Mac Donald
Her uncle is wrapped up in her, and so proud of her being a Duchess that he would condone anything.
Modern Broods|Charlotte Mary Yonge

British Dictionary definitions for condone

condone

/ (kənˈdəʊn) /

verb (tr)

to overlook or forgive (an offence)

law (esp of a spouse) to pardon or overlook (an offence, usually adultery)

Derived forms of condone

condonable, adjectivecondonation (ˌkɒndəʊˈneɪʃən), nouncondoner, noun

Word Origin for condone

C19: from Latin condōnāre to remit a debt, from com- (intensive) + dōnāre to donate

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

condone

Origin of condone

OTHER WORDS FROM condone

Words nearby condone

Words related to condone

How to use condone in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for condone

Derived forms of condone

Word Origin for condone