penance
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.
Starting in the fourth century, pilgrimages were served up by the church as a way for Christians to pay penance for their sins.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
The reader is invited to follow her often frightening pursuit of spiritual penance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
In mitigation, Carruthers' barrister Andrew Gurney said the mechanic from Wigton would carry the burden of regret for his "stupid act" as a "personal penance" for the rest of his life.
From BBC • Jul. 15, 2025
Concluding that Didion left these pages behind so they would eventually take shape as the penance of an unreliable narrator is surely too tidy.
From Salon • Jun. 14, 2025
When the penance had reached the appropriate level for a particular sin, the penitent was granted absolution in advance, though he might never be called on to commit the sin.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Vocabulary lists containing penance
Fahrenheit 451
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The Poet X
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The Joy Luck Club
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