atonement

noun atone·ment \ ə-ˈtōn-mənt \

|Updated on: 26 Jul 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

See atonement defined for kids

Recent Examples of atonement from the Web

The pitches blanketing media channels in recent weeks show how the latest wave of atonement tours has become more sophisticated, as customers themselves increasingly tap multiple forums to express their dissatisfaction with a brand....

— suzanne vranica, WSJ, "‘I’m Sorry’ Gets More Expensive for Wells, Uber and Facebook," 30 May 2018
Male redemption narratives have rarely required of their leading figures any meaningful restoration or atonement: The simple act of apologizing is enough to warrant a second act.

— hannah giorgis, The Atlantic, "Do Beyoncé Fans Have to Forgive Jay-Z?," 18 June 2018
For a man interested in atonement, that’s a slam dunk.

— jenice armstrong, Philly.com, "A big rebound for ex-Sixers star Jayson Williams | Jenice Armstrong," 4 June 2018
Though quite radical in his exploration of parenthood, Nevo is rather conservative on the question of which character deserves punishment and which achieves atonement.

— ayelet gundar-goshen, New York Times, "Three Floors, Three Different Israeli Stories," 5 Jan. 2018
At the time, the move was widely seen, at least in part, as a grand gesture of atonement for the worst crimes of German history.

— Washington Post, "After a refugee influx, does Germany have an imported anti-Semitism problem?," 28 Apr. 2018
As the home crowd erupted, Malkin spread his arms and howled, the sound of a sinner who had found atonement . . .

— alex prewitt, SI.com, "Enter the Sin Bin: What It's Like to Be Sent to 'Adult Timeout' in the NHL," 17 Apr. 2018
Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony in D minor premiered in 1937 and it was thought by some to be a kind of atonement or turnaround after his having been denounced for earlier work.

— john adamian, courant.com, "HSO Plays Shostakovich At The Bushnell," 28 Apr. 2018
After the company reported first quarter results late Tuesday, CSX investors don’t need a similar show of atonement.

— justin lahart, WSJ, "CSX Is Back on Track," 18 Apr. 2018

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.