contrition
Americannoun
-
sincere penitence or remorse.
- Synonyms:
- regret, compunction
-
Theology. sorrow for and detestation of sin with a true purpose of amendment, arising from a love of God for His own perfections perfect contrition, or from some inferior motive, as fear of divine punishment imperfect contrition.
noun
-
deeply felt remorse; penitence
-
Christianity detestation of past sins and a resolve to make amends, either from love of God ( perfect contrition ) or from hope of heaven ( imperfect contrition )
Etymology
Origin of contrition
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English contricio(u)n, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin contrītiōn-, stem of contrītiō “grief,” literally, “a wearing down”; equivalent to contrite + -ion
Explanation
In the truest sense, contrition is feeling sorry for committing a religious sin and being scared about the consequences. But anyone can feel general contrition for something they've done wrong. Contrition is a strong, powerful feeling that people get when they've done something wrong. Originally, this feeling came from having sinned and a fear of going to hell for it. But over the years, the idea of contrition has gotten broader. Anyone can feel contrition if they do something wrong, whether it's a tiny thing like littering or a huge thing like murdering. If you did wrong and feel bad about it, you're feeling contrition — you're contrite.
Vocabulary lists containing contrition
This Week in Words: October 21- 27, 2018
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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.
When Paul pressed him again about his lack of apology, lack of contrition, and inability to even say he “misspoke,” while ribbing him about his “low impulse control” and presentation of “machismo,” Mullin didn’t waver.
From Slate • Mar. 18, 2026
At her sentencing, Peters repeatedly insulted the judge and never showed an ounce of contrition.
From Salon • Jan. 3, 2026
And the old political playbook — confession, contrition, capitulation — is obviously no longer operative, as candidates find it not only possible but even advantageous to brazen their way through storms of uproar and opprobrium.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025
The mitigation is meant for those who show contrition or really were unjustly convicted.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025
My mother can easily speak to a priest in a darkened confessional; can easily make an act of self-revelation using the impersonal formula of ritual contrition: ‘Bless me, Father, for I have sinned....’
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
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.
