as in making amends for
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 atoning (for)
Verb
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Video footage shows Bolt taking shorter strides than Wang but compensating with a much faster cadence, reports People’s Daily Online.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026 -
This is not an argument against compensating survivors.—
Jaime Huff,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In this view, very little in the existing order is worth redeeming.—
Laura K. Field,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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On the other side of the ledger stands a small, weak country 90 miles off South Florida whose only redeeming quality is the enterprising spirit of its people.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But unlike Chapter 7, Chapter 13 focuses on repaying what's owed rather than wiping out your unsecured debts.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
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In August 2024, federal prosecutors accused JMG Investments and Schwartz of improperly receiving two PPP loans in December 2020 and not repaying the duplicate loan as required, according to the DOJ.—
Andrea Klick,
Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rippon says the new study may be a step toward correcting that legacy.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
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Braces were then tweaked over the following decades as scientists figured out how teeth moved, grew, and best reacted to smile-correcting technology.—
Sara Kiley Watson,
Popular Science,
4 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Atoning (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atoning%20%28for%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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