atonement

noun atone·ment \ ə-ˈtōn-mənt \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of atonement

1 : reparation for an offense or injury : satisfaction

a story of sin and atonement

He wanted to find a way to make atonement for his sins.

2 : the reconciliation of God and humankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ

3 Christian Science : the exemplifying of human oneness with God

4 obsolete : reconciliation

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Recent Examples of atonement from the Web

Tenet’s book was filled with atonement, but also anger that the Bush administration had cast the declining state of the Iraq War in late 2003 as the CIA’s fault.

— ian shapira, Washington Post, "Before James Comey’s stunning memoir, there was George Tenet’s remarkable tell-all," 15 Apr. 2018
There are offenses, particularly those driven by intentional malice, that don’t seem to deserve absolution, at least in the absence of a sincere apology and efforts at atonement by the perpetrator.

— philip chard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Forgiveness heals bitterness that corrodes the soul," 11 Jan. 2018
For example, caring for an orphaned baby animal may represent atonement for the harm done to its kin through the hunt.

— Longreads, "The Way We Treat Our Pets Is More Paleolithic Than Medieval," 22 Mar. 2018
The journey included a 64-51 atonement win over Dominican in the regional final.

— jr radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "St. Thomas More delivers Cinderella sectional performance to reach first WIAA state tournament," 4 Mar. 2018
But those who haven’t and have been confirmed represent his saving grace in this administration — atonement for his many sins as one of the worst, if not the worst, White House counsels in the history of the role.

— cristian farias, Daily Intelligencer, "How Don McGahn Has Become the Worst White House Counsel Ever," 22 Feb. 2018
Dixon is a role that allows him to navigate a path from the lonely margins of idiocy to the warming elevation of empathy and atonement.

— david rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "Critic's Notebook: Sam Rockwell Stretches and Surprises in 'Three Billboards'," 27 Nov. 2017
The holders of such power tend to be men, who have evaded accountability, let alone atonement, who have, over and over, proved impervious to receipts.

— wesley morris, New York Times, "In These Lying Times, ‘Receipts’ Offer a Glimmer of Justice," 24 Oct. 2017
Our multiracial movement building needs to be fueled by reconciliation and atonement.

— shakirah simley, Longreads, "How Food Can Be a Platform for Activism," 5 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'atonement.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of atonement

see atone

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1513

in the meaning defined at sense 4

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ATONEMENT Defined for Kids

atonement

noun atone·ment \ ə-ˈtōn-mənt \

Definition of atonement for Students

: a making up for an offense or injury

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See words that rhyme with atonement Spanish Central: Translation of atonement Nglish: Translation of atonement for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of atonement for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about atonement

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atonement

Definition of atonement

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