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
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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.
Davis offered no words of contrition ahead of the sentence being handed down, vowing only to appeal the guilty finding.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
But Holbrook’s ambiguous turn leaves us uncertain how much his act of contrition is meant to make himself feel better, as opposed to helping Mariam and her family heal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Infantino will have to show contrition and perhaps offer a route to reform if he is to win back the support of his inner circle.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
In the February town hall with foundation employees, internally known as “BG Unplugged,” Gates addressed the Epstein ties with a mix of contrition and defiance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Grabbing ones earlobes in India is a sign of contrition for one’s actions.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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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.
