- present participle of forgive.
forgiving
Americanadjective
-
disposed to forgive; indicating forgiveness.
a forgiving soul; a forgiving smile.
-
tolerant.
The mountain is not forgiving of inexperienced climbers.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forgiving
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.
“That’s a tough barometer that Americans are not very forgiving on,” De Haan told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
"Strong results are no longer enough if the outlook fails to match an already demanding valuation. Investors are becoming much less forgiving."
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
But after Gouken’s tragic murder — the particulars will eventually be revealed in flashbacks — Ken and Ryu went their separate ways, Ken never forgiving Ryu for failing to save Gouken’s life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Courts are sometimes more forgiving of burdens on speech when the real focus of a law is conduct, and when any restriction on speech is minor and incidental.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026
Even looking back through a daughter’s forgiving eye, I have to admit: my father was never good-looking.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
