atonement

noun atone·ment \ ə-ˈtōn-mənt \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 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

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
After claiming a Jewish banking dynasty controls the climate and federal government, D.C. Council member Trayon White’s path to atonement included a bagels and lox breakfast with fellow lawmakers and local Jewish community leaders.

— fenit nirappil, Washington Post, "Bagels, lox and apologies at breakfast to discuss D.C. lawmaker’s anti-Semitic comments," 27 Mar. 2018
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

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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