forgive

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb forgive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of forgive are condone, excuse, and pardon. While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

could not forgive their rudeness

When is condone a more appropriate choice than forgive?

The words condone and forgive can be used in similar contexts, but condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

When might excuse be a better fit than forgive?

In some situations, the words excuse and forgive are roughly equivalent. However, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

excuse an interruption
excused them for interrupting
injustice excuses strong responses

When could pardon be used to replace forgive?

While the synonyms pardon and forgive are close in meaning, pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

pardon a criminal

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forgive Arkansas has only finished in the Top 25 once since Petrino’s 2012 ouster, and went 32-34 under Pittman, so many are more than willing to forgive and forget at this point. Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Jews are immersed in the spirituality of the holiday and proclaim their faith in God to accept their repentance, forgive their sins and seal their fate for a year of life, health and happiness. Krys'tal Griffin, Freep.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Morris asked that his attorneys convey his sincere apologies to Clemishire and his thanks to those who have supported and forgiven him. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025 And while Brown may have cleared the air, that doesn’t mean all is forgiven. Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forgive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forgive
Verb
  • In mid-August, Meredith drove to Miami for a gathering of pardoned J6ers and other MAGA minor celebrities.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
  • He was pardoned in a presidential decree along with five others, according to Egyptian state media.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The collapse of water security in Iran has been decades in the making and is rooted in a mania for megaprojects—dam building, deep wells, and water transfer schemes—that ignored the fundamentals of hydrology and ecological balance.
    Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Pierre LeBrun’s viewpoint Arpon, no doubt the Hughes contract injects a fresh comparable into the discussion that neither the Canadiens nor the Hutson camp can ignore, though using comparables always seems to be in the eye of the beholder.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sweden and Finland might get overlooked by North American fans, but those hockey powers are always keen to crash the party.
    Rob Rossi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Lynnoland Brass 6-Light Chandelier Light Fixture Don't overlook lighting this Prime Day.
    Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Reliever Luke Weaver melted down again, and then seemed lost trying to explain it postgame.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In the show, Gein strikes Henry with a piece of wood, then drags his body into the woods and stages a brush fire to explain Henry's death.
    JR Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Actors like Andrew Garfield, Chloë Sevigny and Brian Cox have spoken out against their peers who use Method to excuse their own bad behavior.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Plumlee, who had been excused from Monday’s media day activities for personal reasons, has continued to be absent from practice this week and hasn’t spoken about his second tour of duty with Charlotte yet.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Benefits and perks Like any travel card with a hefty annual fee, the Atmos Rewards Summit card has a mile-long list of perks that are designed to deliver value that easily justifies the yearly cost.
    David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Ducati has just refreshed its Multistrada V4 Rally – the most off-road capable in its line of performance adventure touring motorcycles – after three years, with a bunch of tech upgrades to make long journeys more comfortable and justify the slightly higher sticker price.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Forgive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forgive. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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