as in reparation
an act taken in order to redeem oneself
He resolved to make atonement to those he had wronged by doing good deeds for them.
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Recent Examples of atonement
Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is considered the holiest day of the Jewish year and is one of two High Holy Days, along with Rosh Hashanah, according to the University of Southern California and Henry Ford College.
—
Melina Khan, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Why no mumblings of atonement for the predatory nature of capitalism itself, its core values and standard operating procedures no different from those of the beasts in the field?
—Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The incident, being investigated as a terrorist attack, took place on Yom Kippur, the Jewish calendar’s day of atonement and fasting.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 3 Oct. 2025
It is traditionally marked by fasting, repentance and prayer, as worshippers seek atonement and spiritual renewal.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atonement
Melina Khan, USA Today, 14 Dec. 2025
Why no mumblings of atonement for the predatory nature of capitalism itself, its core values and standard operating procedures no different from those of the beasts in the field?
—Henry Freedland, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The incident, being investigated as a terrorist attack, took place on Yom Kippur, the Jewish calendar’s day of atonement and fasting.
—Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 3 Oct. 2025
It is traditionally marked by fasting, repentance and prayer, as worshippers seek atonement and spiritual renewal.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atonement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atonement
Noun
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Mayor Johnson launched a Chicago reparations task force in 2024.—
Aida Mogos,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Tehran’s demands included the release of frozen assets, guarantees around its nuclear program, the right to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah and war reparations.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If the first season was about grief, and the second about forgiveness, this latest chapter is about moving forward, and no character embodies that struggle more profoundly than Paul.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
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And while the on-screen action is champagne for the senses, irrepressibly bubbly and bright, its themes are on the serious side, dabbling in desperation, reinvention, and forgiveness.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atonement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atonement. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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