as in excuses
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
her standard apology for her chronic tardiness is the ever-present congestion on the highways
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of apologies
With apologies to the legions of Frankenstein and Me fans, here are our assessments of Gosling’s other performances, listed from worst to best.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Ronnie here, and my sincerest apologies if that song is now playing in your head all day.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Miss Manners therefore requires turning one’s back — while also showing one’s profile and expressing thanks and apologies for stepping on toes and purse straps.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Until then, in between explosions — and with zero apologies — Taylor reveals a woman struggling to control her own rage.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Yang and Rogers faced backlash for these comments, both posting public apologies on social media shortly after fans took issue with what some argued was racially motivated criticism.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Ye faced more than a dozen lawsuits following antisemitic remarks in 2022 and later issued multiple public apologies.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Genuine apologies are necessary at times, but over-apologizing often backfires.
—Erin McGoff, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
With preemptive apologies to Charles Dickens, 2026 could be described as the best of times, and the worst of times, for commercial airlines.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Ronnie here, and my sincerest apologies if that song is now playing in your head all day.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Miss Manners therefore requires turning one’s back — while also showing one’s profile and expressing thanks and apologies for stepping on toes and purse straps.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Until then, in between explosions — and with zero apologies — Taylor reveals a woman struggling to control her own rage.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Yang and Rogers faced backlash for these comments, both posting public apologies on social media shortly after fans took issue with what some argued was racially motivated criticism.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Ye faced more than a dozen lawsuits following antisemitic remarks in 2022 and later issued multiple public apologies.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Genuine apologies are necessary at times, but over-apologizing often backfires.
—Erin McGoff, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026
With preemptive apologies to Charles Dickens, 2026 could be described as the best of times, and the worst of times, for commercial airlines.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apologies
Noun
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The excuses really don’t matter.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
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These things are presented not as potential excuses for the Current’s one-win/two-loss start, but as context around it.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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These fragments often convey shifting or conflicting justifications.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
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Shapiro’s office also determined that three of MassDOT’s seven selection committee members did not follow the instructions to record their scoring justifications on evaluation worksheets.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In this case, that blend of tradition and artistic interpretation resulted in a final product that stood out—if not entirely for the reasons the bride expected.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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One of the reasons American troops would be vulnerable on Kharg Island is its close proximity to the Iranian mainland, from which missiles, drones and artillery could be fired.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Apologies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apologies. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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