as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
his determination to make things right again was seen as a sign of his sincere contriteness
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Recent Examples of contriteness
Recently, however, pride has partly given way to contriteness as President Emmanuel Macron, aware of France’s legacy as a former heavy-handed empire, has attempted to make amends for mistakes during the country’s imperial past.
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The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
7 Aug. 2025
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contriteness
Noun
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The communication reportedly did not seek payment and included language expressing remorse, a detail experts say is unusual in genuine ransom demands.
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In an Instagram story, the woman credited with posting the video sharing the Post’s reporting expressed remorse over the situation.
Noun
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Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk Becky Hill’s inappropriate comments to jurors implying his guilt.
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Graf said that comment violated a rule prohibiting prosecutors from expressing their opinion about the guilt or innocence of a defendant.
Noun
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In a pricey travel year, travelers are adopting savvy strategies to enjoy high-end experiences with less financial regret.
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The independent channel exposes that mistake early enough to stop it from becoming a warehouse full of regret.
Cite this Entry
“Contriteness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contriteness. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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