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.
The Vatican said on Thursday: "The sacred ministers of the Society of St Pius X administer the sacraments illicitly, while the sacrament of penance they administer and the marriages they witness are invalid."
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
“I write to make amends,” she reflects, describing a lifetime of studying Cuba as a kind of penance for what she calls being “the chosen one” that spring day in 1963.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
Islamic fasting is oriented toward submission to divine will, while Christian penance is animated by gratitude for the incarnate God who suffered, died and rose again for the salvation of humanity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
A breakfast that feels more like penance than possibility.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026
As a kind of penance, he did not wash his face.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
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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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