apology

[uh-pol-uh-jee] / əˈpɒl ə dʒi /

NOUN

offering of remorse, regret

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acknowledgment admission amends atonement concession confession excuse explanation justification plea redress reparation

STRONG

defense extenuation mitigation vindication

WEAK

mea culpa

Antonyms

STRONGEST

denial refusal repudiation

WEAK

accusation censure charge complaint condemnation criticism defiance indictment

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.

Complainant A said she believed the letter was "an apology for what he did to me".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin bowed in apology over the incident during the Tuesday news briefing and asked for forgiveness from bereaved families of the victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

But a warranted apology from Candace Owens does not redeem her.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

She said Gwent Police previously denied responsibility when it "directly affected outcomes for victims... which raises questions about the sincerity of that apology".

From BBC • May 23, 2026

Benji could almost imagine the apology forming in Felix’s brain.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Vocabulary lists containing apology

Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

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