Synonym Chooser

How does the verb condone differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of condone are excuse, forgive, and pardon. While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

When would excuse be a good substitute for condone?

The words excuse and condone are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

excuse an interruption
excused them for interrupting
injustice excuses strong responses

When is forgive a more appropriate choice than condone?

Although the words forgive and condone have much in common, forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

could not forgive their rudeness

When can pardon be used instead of condone?

The synonyms pardon and condone are sometimes interchangeable, but pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

pardon a criminal

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of condone And no scripture condones the smug enjoyment of it. Hannah Sacks, People.com, 30 July 2025 Sophie and Margo’s new connection is condoned by Jed, who likes to share his wife’s playthings, and resented by Callie (Jaime Ray Newman), Margo’s bestie and current sidepiece. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 20 July 2025 The suit, filed by former interim NYPD Commissioner Thomas Donlon, is the fifth in two weeks to allege rampant corruption within the police department — which the lawsuits say was condoned by City Hall. Mark Morales, CNN Money, 16 July 2025 Torres said the comments are unacceptable and the behavior should not be condoned in the lower chamber. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for condone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for condone
Verb
  • Still, sometimes the heat is impossible to ignore — evident in the small sweat stains on Dinkel’s blue collared shirt.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Carrie Severino, president of the conservative advocacy group Judicial Crisis Network, previously told the Washington Examiner that the justices have made recent orders more explicit and clear as lower court judges have ignored the Supreme Court’s previous orders on its emergency docket.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For many couples, infidelity is a nonnegotiable breach of trust, never to be forgiven.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Nobody is going to forgive it or pay it for us.
    Letters to the Editor, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Taco Heads, which grew from a West Seventh Street taco truck to a sprawling restaurant overlooking the Cultural District, has a new owner and will be getting a new look.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The homeowner’s suite, comprising a large bedroom, a sitting/dressing room, lots of closet space, and a bathroom with marble vanities, spills onto a deck overlooking the yard.
    Mark David, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Businesses can and should use catastrophe models themselves to establish baseline risk profiles, stress-test scenarios, quantify protection gaps, and justify resilience investments.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Some are too flashy, while others look too plain to justify the price tag.
    Amina Ayoud, Glamour, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At each camp, the team leaves behind a small but powerful item, a red card that explains what to do during encounters with immigration officials.
    David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The powers that be explained to me that in the audiobook, there would be no easy way to identify the bees’ chapters, which were designated with italics in the printed version, unless the narrator’s voice changed from female to male.
    Elizabeth Bass Parman, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But that legal reality shouldn’t excuse the behavior.
    Matt Germer, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Listening to these women fawn all over Julia for carrying the laird’s child, for carrying a future king, listening to them excuse away Julia being unmarried, all of it makes Davina blow a fuse.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Condone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/condone. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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