forgiving

adjective

for·​giv·​ing fər-ˈgi-viŋ 

fȯr-

1

: willing or able to forgive

2

: allowing room for error or weakness

designed to be a forgiving tennis racquet

forgivingly adverb

forgivingness noun

Examples of forgiving in a Sentence

a person with a forgiving nature

Recent Examples on the Web

Be Sympathetic In the days following daylight saving time, try to be more forgiving if your child is throwing extra temper tantrums or seems to be particularly frustrated or emotional. —Dina Roth Port, Parents, 28 Oct. 2025

The Pete Dye–designed, 36-hole layout includes the famed Straits Course, which runs along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, and the Irish Course, its slightly more forgiving inland counterpart. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025

Even so, in her memoir Sister Jean talks about setting aside daily quiet time and maintaining a forgiving spirit. —NPR, 10 Oct. 2025

The computer zone is rectangular and rulebook-precise, not the more forgiving oval umpires have called for decades. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forgiving

• almsgiving
• caregiving
• misgiving
• nonliving
• reliving
• thanksgiving
• giving
• living
• sieving
• unforgiving

Kids Definition

forgiving

adjective

for·​giv·​ing

fər-ˈgiv-iŋ,

fȯr-

1

: showing forgiveness : inclined or ready to forgive

a person with a forgiving nature

2

: allowing for human error or weakness

a tennis racket designed to be forgiving

forgivingly adverb

forgivingness noun