forgiveness

[fer-giv-nis]

noun

1. act of forgiving; forgive; state of being forgiven.

2. disposition or willingness to forgive.

forgiveness

/ fəˈɡɪvnɪs /

noun

1. the act of forgiving or the state of being forgiven

2. willingness to forgive

Other Word Forms

• preforgiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of forgiveness¹

before 900; Middle English forgifenesse, Old English forgifennys. See forgive, -ness

Example Sentences

Latif has so many thoughts about retribution and forgiveness that I’m unconvinced that her movie needed ghosts, too.

From Los Angeles Times

Loyalty, vengeance and forgiveness are recurring themes — those, and plenty of guilt, as one would expect of a story featuring a man who spent eight years as a Catholic priest before joining the FBI.

From Salon

Like so much of her career, Deen’s plea for forgiveness was outsized and totally singular, so much so that it became fodder to convey the brief intensity of an otherwise banal annoyance.

From Salon

In among the criminal antics and police work is a lot of talk about life and death and God, guilt and forgiveness.

From Los Angeles Times

It added that shutting shops is not an easy decision, and asked for forgiveness from customers for the inconvenience.

From BBC

Related Words

• absolution 
• amnesty 
• clemency 
• compassion 
• dispensation 
• grace 
• mercy 
• remission 
• reprieve 
• vindication