as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
the sincerity of the player's penitence is questionable—he began to express remorse only after the suspension was handed down
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Recent Examples of penitence
Some could bring only fear, and the probability of future fear was dependent on the probability of past fear, as well as on the parent’s over-all chance of penitence.
—
Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Especially at this time of year, when mismatches on the power play — at 6-foot-4, Nichushkin blots out the sun as well as opposing goalies’ vision — can often mean the difference between parades and penitence.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
An attempt by one German activist to shift attention to Russia’s current war showed just how ingrained the traditional focus on World War II penitence has become.
—Ekaterina Bodyagina, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Especially at this time of year, when mismatches on the power play — at 6-foot-4, Nichushkin blots out the sun as well as opposing goalies’ vision — can often mean the difference between parades and penitence.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
An attempt by one German activist to shift attention to Russia’s current war showed just how ingrained the traditional focus on World War II penitence has become.
—Ekaterina Bodyagina, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitence
Noun
-
Lemieux showed zero remorse for Draper’s injuries and didn’t apologize.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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To know if estrangement makes sense for you, Bryant suggests asking yourself a few questions: Does the person express any remorse?—
Aditi Shrikant,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Dina got to be with him, Dina got to spend that last day with him, and there's a lot of guilt and regret on Ellie's part.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Families who lose a loved one are prone to mental health deficits such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety, compounded by feelings of guilt, self-blame, shame, and condemnation, often resulting in social isolation.—
William Mullane,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Even if a Super Bowl never came for the duo of Martin and Smith, something both acknowledged as their only regret from their respective careers, each played a pivotal role in maintaining the storied tradition of the Dallas offensive line.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
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The challenge is ensuring this vibe doesn’t tip into financial regret.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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People give me hate and shame about that all the time.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
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Once a marker of shame for many children of South Asian immigrants, hair oiling has filtered into beauty trends on social media.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penitence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitence. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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