condone
Americanverb (used with object)
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to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like).
The government condoned the computer hacking among rival corporations.
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to give tacit approval to.
By his silence, he seemed to condone their behavior.
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to pardon or forgive (an offense); excuse.
His employers are willing to condone the exaggerations they uncovered in his résumé.
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to cause the condonation of; justify the pardoning of (an offense).
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Law. to forgive or act so as to imply forgiveness of (a violation of the marriage vow).
His spouse condoned his infidelity from the early years of their marriage.
verb
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to overlook or forgive (an offence)
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law (esp of a spouse) to pardon or overlook (an offence, usually adultery)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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condonesimple
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condonessimple
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have condonedperfect
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has condonedperfect
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am condoningprogressive
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are condoningprogressive
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is condoningprogressive
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have been condoningperfect progressive
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has been condoningperfect progressive
Past
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condonedsimple
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had condonedperfect
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was condoningprogressive
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were condoningprogressive
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had been condoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of condone
First recorded in 1615–25, but in general currency from its use in the British Divorce Act of 1857 (see condone def. 5 ); from Latin condōnāre “to absolve, grant pardon,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + dōnāre “to give”; see origin at con-, donate
Explanation
If you condone something, you allow it, approve of it, or at least can live with it. Some teachers condone chewing gum, and some don't. Things that are condoned are allowed, even if everyone isn't exactly thrilled about it. People often say, "I don't condone what he did, but I understand it." Condoning is like excusing something. People seem to talk more about things they don't condone than things they do condone. Your mom might say, "I don't condone you staying up till 10, but I know you need to read." That's a way of giving approval and not giving approval at the same time.
Vocabulary lists containing condone
The Hunger Games
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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.
See Examples For:
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the group didn’t condone war, “but I don’t believe athletes should pay the price.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Though he doesn’t condone the bikes’ misuse, Leisner said their popularity stems in part from how easy they are to ride.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
“It’s complicated and its not something I would condone … but the more attention that Scientology gets, the worse it is for Scientology,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
Fifa applauded Boateng's principles and made him the first member of its anti-discrimination taskforce, but said it did not condone his decision to walk off.
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026
“I am quite sure the Kuhani would not condone such conduct here,” said Brother Ugo.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
“Any claim that Chief Hoskin condones individuals or organizations claiming Cherokee identity for personal or organizational profit is false.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2025
"That's not something this government condones," Mr Calvano says.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2024
The Talmud, a set of commentaries on the Torah, specifically condones ransoming of hostages as a communal responsibility, and many ancient scholars considered being hostage a fate worse than death.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
He is the author of, most recently, “Dirty Work,” about the morally troubling jobs that society tacitly condones.
From New York Times ● Jun. 15, 2023
Once a man condones remissness, his own belief in discipline begins to wither.
From The Armed Forces Officer Department of the Army Pamphlet 600-2 by United States. Dept. of Defense
The Central Asian leader, who is a Moscow ally but who has never condoned Russia's offensive, said the roots of the war are "not understandable".
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Furey added that Kwatra’s supervisors condoned his distribution of gift cards and other perks to clients to entice them to continue shopping at Saks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 25, 2025
The country's Securities Regulatory Commission found that PwC, as the auditor, had "covered up and even condoned" financial fraud at Evergrande.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025
Hundreds of Lithuanians thundered the patriotic anthem of national independence, which had been banned by the 1940 nonaggression pact between Hitler and Stalin, a deal that, in effect, condoned the Soviet seizure of Lithuania.
From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2024
Not unusual in these parts, but obviously not condoned by the Boyds.
From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak
It isn’t about the Court condoning Mr. Olivier’s speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
Tadjadit's lawyer, Fetta Sadat, said in a post on Facebook that her client was convicted of "condoning terrorism", "supporting terrorist organisations" and "spreading extremist ideas", among other charges.
From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2025
This new perspective allowed the woman to separate the concept of forgiveness from condoning the crime, providing a way to untangle complex emotions.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2024
“They need to be condemned and there’s no place to sit on the fence here: You’re either condemning it or you’re condoning it.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
In the evening, “I often have to shut my ears to their gossip. If I join in, I feel as though I’m condoning them and I feel bad.”
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
