atones (for)

Definition of atones (for)next
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)
Verb
  • On Monday, Nichols introduced an update to Idaho’s existing law that compensates crime victims if the perpetrator reaches a financial agreement to tell their story.
    Kevin Fixler January 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The system compensates for the Earth's rotation by counter-spinning the sensor while the telescope follows the sky, keeping everything rock-steady.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Gabriel And Lil'Jordan Humphrey totally redeems himself.
    Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
  • A lot is happening, but the episode redeems itself with the announcement that Monica and Chandler are going to be parents — one of the most heartwarming moments of the entire series.
    Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Creature repays the favor by using his strength to free the ship from its icy prison.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The city repays the bondholders over time, plus interest, using property taxes.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If a fast, irregular rhythm is recognized, the device corrects it by sending a small electrical signal, according to a news release.
    Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026
  • If the sale does go through, the administration can still use its enforcement powers to make sure any new owner corrects open violations and adheres to rent-stabilization laws.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 15 Jan. 2026
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 29 Jan. 2026.

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