forgiving

American  

[fer-giv-ing] / fərˈgɪv ɪŋ /

adjective

1. disposed to forgive; indicating forgiveness.

   a forgiving soul; a forgiving smile.

2. tolerant.

   The mountain is not forgiving of inexperienced climbers.

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forgiving British  

/ fəˈɡɪvɪŋ /

adjective

1. willing to forgive; merciful

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Other Word Forms

• forgivingly adverb
• forgivingness noun
• nonforgiving adjective

Etymology

Origin of forgiving

First recorded in 1680–90; forgive + -ing ²

Example Sentences

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

Some analysts believe that extra federal tax breaks this year, along with more forgiving comparisons with last year, could help restaurant-industry sales growth this year.

From MarketWatch

While sports may be a more forgiving milieu for him, Wasserman’s reputation within the relatively progressive music industry could be too tarnished for him to remain.

From Los Angeles Times

Then that stinker Paulie T. said, “I’m still mad, and don’t think I’m forgetting anything, Ida B. And I’m not too sure about forgiving, either.”

From Literature

Learning to recognize these elements — and how they work together — offers a simple, forgiving framework for making soup at home.

From Salon

Related Words

• lenient
• magnanimous
• merciful