noun
-
the act of forgiving or the state of being forgiven
-
willingness to forgive
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forgiveness
before 900; Middle English forgifenesse, Old English forgifennys. See forgive, -ness
Explanation
Compassionate feelings for someone that make it easier to forgive that person for some offense can be called forgiveness. Feelings of forgiveness make it easier to feel empathy toward people who have harmed you. If you give someone a break and forgive some misdeed or mistake, you are practicing the act of forgiveness. If your sister borrows your favorite white sweater without asking, it's easy to offer her forgiveness. If your sister borrows your favorite white sweater without asking and spills a glass of chocolate milk on it, forgiveness may be a little harder to grant.
Vocabulary lists containing forgiveness
Ceremony
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Shiloh
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 22–April 28, 2023
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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.
Certain evangelical leaders may be politically and personally odious, but millions of Americans have flooded into nondenominational churches in search of biblical preaching, youth programs, fellowship, forgiveness and music.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The launch fits a familiar Silicon Valley pattern — ship products first, ask for forgiveness later.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Davey Hoy said he thought he had noted these verses down after Donaldson had asked for forgiveness.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Under the terms of RAP, borrowers need to make on-time monthly payments if they want them counted toward forgiveness or to get a principal-matching payment that some borrowers enrolled in RAP will be eligible for.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026
I couldn’t help myself; in that moment, I granted Traft forgiveness for the ugly actions his bitterness had led him to.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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.
