atone
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/əˈtoʊn/
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Repairing guilt, harm, or wrongdoing through an action meant to make amends, from personal apologies to religious penance.
Examples
The late goal helped the striker atone for his earlier miss.
The charity work could not fully atone for the harm he had caused.
She atoned for the mistake by replacing the broken equipment.
In the ritual, worshippers fasted to atone for their sins.
No donation can atone for deliberately misleading the public.
Similar words
make up
make amends
repent
redeem
redress
expiate
Meanings
Examples
She atoned for the mistake by replacing the broken equipment.
He tried to atone for years of silence with a careful apology.
The charity work could not fully atone for the harm he had caused.
In the ritual, worshippers fasted to atone for their sins.
The late goal helped the striker atone for his earlier miss.
No donation can atone for deliberately misleading the public.
Similar words
make amends
repent
expiate
redress
redeem
make up
Etymology
From Middle English at one, meaning "in harmony" or "reconciled". The verb developed from the idea of bringing people back into agreement.
FAQ
Atone means to make amends for a wrong, mistake, harm, or sin through an action meant to repair it.
Is atone the same as apologize?
No. Apologize is saying sorry, while atone usually implies doing something to make amends.
What preposition follows atone?
The usual pattern is atone for something, as in atone for a mistake or atone for sins.
Can atone be used in religious writing?
Yes. Atone is common in religious contexts for making amends for sin or seeking reconciliation.
What is the past tense of atone?
The past tense and past participle are atoned, and the present participle is atoning.
Where does atone come from?
Atone comes from the Middle English idea of being at one, meaning reconciled or in harmony.
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