atones (for)

verb

present tense third-person singular of atone (for)
as in compensates
to make up for (an offense) tried to atone for forgetting their anniversary by giving his wife a truly extravagant gift

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atones (for)
  1. compensates
  2. redeems
  3. repays
  4. corrects
Verb
  • That's because the remaining healthy testicle often compensates by producing enough testosterone and sperm on its own.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 22 July 2026
  • The more useful question is what the current price assumes, what could change those assumptions, and whether the likely return compensates investors for the risks.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of compensates
Verb
  • But the film redeems itself with its strong anti-colonialist message that provides a surprisingly serious element to the otherwise escapist goings-on.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
  • Lilypad also redeems herself by the end of the movie.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Definition of redeems
Verb
  • Under the baseline scenario, that student repays $103,645 over a standard 10-year term.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Britain’s regime, mandatory since October 2024, repays victims within five business days up to £85,000, with the cost split equally between sending and receiving institutions and a gross-negligence exception for reckless claims.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of repays
Verb
  • Robin doesn’t know how to use the word ‘’literally,’’ Ted corrects everyone, Lily chews too loudly, and Barney speaks in falsetto.
    — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Those rules should cover what the agent can do, what requires human judgment and how the business stops or corrects an action when something goes wrong.
    — Robert Kramer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrects
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Atones (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atones%20%28for%29. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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