forgiveness

noun

for·​give·​ness fər-ˈgiv-nəs 

fȯr-

: the act of forgiving

I ask for your forgiveness.

Synonyms of forgiveness

• amnesty
• pardon

Examples of forgiveness in a Sentence

She treats us with kindness and forgiveness.

they asked her forgiveness for failing to invite her to the party

Recent Examples on the Web

There's no single application that covers every type of federal student loan forgiveness. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Customer service agents at the department’s Federal Student Aid call centers had initially told borrowers that the sudden drop in student loan forgiveness credit was due to an unspecified data error. — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Be cautious about refinancing federal student loans, though, as doing so means losing access to federal repayment plans, forgiveness programs, and other benefits. — Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for forgiveness

• liveness

Kids Definition

forgiveness

noun

for·​give·​ness fər-ˈgiv-nəs 

fȯr-

: the act of forgiving : pardon