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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Your lumbar spine is designed primarily for stability and not large degrees of rotation, so the stress of compensating takes a toll.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026 -
Terms included portraying Moy in a positive light and compensating the family for its assistance.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Since Heathcliff seems to lose all redeeming qualities after Cathy’s death, turning into a truly miserable and vengeful man, book devotees likely have a far less romantic vision of him than what is presented in the film.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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In this view, very little in the existing order is worth redeeming.—
Laura K. Field,
The Atlantic,
5 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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But with all that extra information comes errors, and error-correcting a quantum qubit—weeding out the noise to find the signal—is a challenge in itself.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
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And while a talented photographer can work wonders, even the best can’t outshoot a schedule that’s too tight or work literal color-correcting magic on photos washed out by the blazing sun.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
15 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 21 Feb. 2026.
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