as in to apologize
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Recent Examples of atone
Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, had to make a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago to atone for declaring that Trump must accept responsibility for instigating the riot.
—
David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names, and purify their blood.
—Churchill Ndonwie, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
In an interview, Hood challenged the idea that death is a just punishment for a person like Nelson, whose life before becoming involved with crime was rife with suffering and abuse for which no one atoned.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
But after returning for the eighth and making quick work of Harper and Castellanos, Chapman faced Realmuto and the catcher atoned for his earlier miscue by hitting a game-tying solo homer to straightaway center field.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for atone
David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2025
Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names, and purify their blood.
—Churchill Ndonwie, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
In an interview, Hood challenged the idea that death is a just punishment for a person like Nelson, whose life before becoming involved with crime was rife with suffering and abuse for which no one atoned.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
But after returning for the eighth and making quick work of Harper and Castellanos, Chapman faced Realmuto and the catcher atoned for his earlier miscue by hitting a game-tying solo homer to straightaway center field.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for atone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atone
Verb
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Fawners often overwork, over-give, over-care, over-apologize and self-abandon in order to earn approval, avoid conflict or feel secure.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The fact that everyone is constantly apologizing to Solène doesn’t help her overinflated ego.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While Hadden-Paton was unsuccessful in keeping his dapper suit, his costar, Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lord Grantham, confessed to Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan on Live!—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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The suspect was later named as 22-year-old Robinson, and was reported to have confessed to the crime to his father.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2024
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Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.—
Longreads,
Longreads,
12 Apr. 2024
Verb
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It was announced by the Vikings head coach that McCarthy was excused due to being at the hospital with his fiancée to welcome the arrival of his baby boy.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Likewise, with cameras on the trains in Charlotte, the public could be excused for wondering why there wasn’t a more immediate response after the event.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The pledge and the accompanying FAQs clearly state that the targets are complicit Israeli film institutions and companies, given their pervasive involvement in whitewashing or justifying Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its apartheid regime against all Palestinians.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
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The mural was whitewashed over in August 2019, covering the artwork.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That explains why the two-perspective structure couldn’t be justified in an episode like this and exposes the weakness of the conceit in the first place.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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The excitement may be justified, but so is the concern when regulatory structures fail to keep pace with demand.—
Lindsay O'Neill,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Researchers also highlight the role of brain processes, such as the frontal lobe’s ability to organize and justify events in how secrecy is rationalized and maintained.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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With this setup, and with two stars who have done well playing characters on their respective Houses with a great capacity for rationalizing their cruelty to others, The Girlfriend could easily get away with going back and forth on the blame game for most of its six-hour length.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atone. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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