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.

The MPs learned of the ban - which the Chinese Embassy said could be reduced or waived with an apology - when they returned from the trip in May, local media reported on Thursday.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

In the debate, Jones also said he may have inadvertently given Lord Mandelson too much leeway and offered an apology, including to Epstein victim Lisa Phillips.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Owens alleged editorial interference from management, while McMahon had been unwilling to issue an apology to Trump as part of any potential settlement of the lawsuit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

The BBC also apologised directly to Farage and published an apology, which said he had been quoted "mistakenly".

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Part of me wants to run out of the office, forget about apology notes and class.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Vocabulary lists containing apology

Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

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List 2

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