atoned; atoning
: to make amends : to provide or serve as reparation or compensation for something bad or unwelcome
—usually + for
He wanted to atone for his sins.
But I think that he has within him a capacity for love, and an unselfishness, which almost atones for his dishonesty.—
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Did you know?
Atone has its roots in the idea of reconciliation and harmony. It grew out of the Middle English phrase at on meaning “in harmony,” a phrase echoed in current expressions like “feeling at one with nature.” When atone joined modern English in the 16th century, it meant “to reconcile,” and suggested the restoration of a peaceful and harmonious state between people or groups. Today, atone specifically implies addressing the damage—or disharmony—caused by one’s own behavior.
Examples of atone in a Sentence
tried to atone for forgetting their anniversary by giving his wife a truly extravagant gift
Recent Examples on the Web
May, too, is trying to atone for her past mistakes, however clunkily.
—Lindsey Bahr, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2025
Since the 1990s, groups of survivors have asked European railway companies to acknowledge and atone for their critical role – a reminder that war, genocide and other atrocities cannot occur without corporate participation.
—Sarah Federman, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
The last WrestleMania Vegas—WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace—gave WWE one of its greatest WrestleMania set designs to atone for arguably its worst WrestleMania.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The two former criminals pledged to spend the rest of their lives atoning for their terrible act.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atone
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Lindsey Bahr, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2025
Since the 1990s, groups of survivors have asked European railway companies to acknowledge and atone for their critical role – a reminder that war, genocide and other atrocities cannot occur without corporate participation.
—Sarah Federman, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
The last WrestleMania Vegas—WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace—gave WWE one of its greatest WrestleMania set designs to atone for arguably its worst WrestleMania.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The two former criminals pledged to spend the rest of their lives atoning for their terrible act.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atone
Cite this Entry
“Atone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atone. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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