forgive
Americanverb (used with object)
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to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.
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to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).
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to grant pardon to (a person).
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to cease to feel resentment against.
to forgive one's enemies.
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to cancel an indebtedness or liability of.
to forgive the interest owed on a loan.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)
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to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc)
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(tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty
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(tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc)
Related Words
See excuse.
Other Word Forms
- forgivable adjective
- forgivably adverb
- forgiver noun
- half-forgiven adjective
- preforgive verb (used with object)
- unforgivable adjective
- unforgivableness noun
- unforgivably adverb
- unforgiven adjective
Etymology
Origin of forgive
First recorded before 900; for- + give; replacing Middle English foryiven, Old English forgiefan
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.
While the free skate is more forgiving, the short program has seven specific requirements, including three for jumps.
From Los Angeles Times
"I can never forgive them for that and I don't think relatives and patients should be treated in that way," he said.
From BBC
They previously said they wished to "hug" the people who decided to jail them and forgive them.
From BBC
After he publicly begged for a second chance, his girlfriend offered a response colder than the Alps: “It is hard to forgive.”
While Nowak expects Amazon to begin capitalizing most of the costs by the fourth quarter, he noted that shareholders aren’t as forgiving without clearly defined returns on investment.
From MarketWatch
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.
