forgiving

[ fer-giv-ing ]
See synonyms for forgiving on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. disposed to forgive; indicating forgiveness: a forgiving soul; a forgiving smile.

  2. tolerant: The mountain is not forgiving of inexperienced climbers.

Origin of forgiving

1
First recorded in 1680–90; forgive + -ing2

Other words from forgiving

  • for·giv·ing·ly, adverb
  • for·giv·ing·ness, noun
  • non·for·giv·ing, adjective

Words Nearby forgiving

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How to use forgiving in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for forgiving

forgiving

/ (fəˈɡɪvɪŋ) /


adjective
  1. willing to forgive; merciful

Derived forms of forgiving

  • forgivingly, adverb
  • forgivingness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012