Definition of CONDONE

Choose the Right Synonym for condone

excuse, condone, pardon, forgive mean to exact neither punishment nor redress. excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. excuse an interruption excused them for interrupting Often the term implies extenuating circumstances. injustice excuses strong responses 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 pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense. pardon a criminal forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings. could not forgive their rudeness

Did You Know?

Since some folks don't condone even minor usage slips, you might want to get the meaning of this word straight. Although English speakers sometimes use "condone" with the intended meaning "approve of" or "encourage," the more established meaning is closer to "pardon" or "overlook." "Condone" comes from the Latin verb condonare, which means "to absolve." "Condonare" in turn combines the Latin prefix con-, indicating thoroughness, and donare, meaning "to give" or "to grant." Not surprisingly, "donare" is also the source of our words "donate" and "pardon."

Examples of condone in a Sentence

"I don't condone violence, and I think 'gangsta rap' should be outlawed," says [designer Tommy] Hilfiger … — Joshua Levine, Forbes, 21 Apr. 1997 Without waiting for Momma's thanks, he rode out of the yard, sure that things were as they should be and that he was a gentle squire, saving those deserving serfs from the laws of the land, which he condoned. — Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969 And then she told him all—told him the truth word by word, without attempting to shield herself or condone her error. — Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1912 a government that has been accused of condoning racism he is too quick to condone his friend's faults

Recent Examples on the Web

Woodward has said that Hersh’s reporting techniques at The New York Times in the 1970s would not have been condoned at The Washington Post. — Scott Sherman, The New York Review of Books, "A Muckraker’s Progress," 17 June 2019 If Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez condones her spokesperson’s belligerent behavior and language, that’s on her. — Fox News, "AOC spokesman tweets, then deletes, F-bomb rant against potential GOP challenger," 14 June 2019 Acts of violence, appeals to violence and condoning violence have no place in American society. — Stavros Agorakis, Vox, "“Violence is never OK”: political leaders respond to bomb threats against Obamas, Clintons," 24 Oct. 2018 The freshman congressman was criticized for his comments, which were interpreted by some as condoning violence against the government. — William Cummings, USA TODAY, "Democratic congressman suggests Second Amendment solution for Trump," 22 Mar. 2018 Forever after, influences like the mean-spiritedness that schools condone or the humiliation that's standard fare in adolescence pummel the mind of the child whose brain has been made excruciatingly vulnerable to them. — Rob Verger, Newsweek, "Newsweek Rewind: 15 Years After Columbine, a Nation Still Asks ‘Why?’," 17 Apr. 2014 Kelley McCormick, senior vice president of corporate communications at Under Armour, said the company doesn’t condone use of adult entertainment for business, and Mr. Plank didn’t conduct business at strip clubs or use company funds at such venues. — Khadeeja Safdar, WSJ, "Under Armour’s #MeToo Moment: No More Strip Clubs on Company Dime," 5 Nov. 2018 Isn't that exactly what's happening to President Trump right now, that he's been out there and doing himself and condoning others to do? — Fox News, "Nation marks 17 years since attacks of Sept. 11," 12 Sep. 2018 Coaches, trainers, and others are barred from condoning, encouraging, or supplying the substances, according to the policy. — Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "Here’s a quick rundown on the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy," 7 June 2018

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