contriteness

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contriteness
  1. remorse
  2. guilt
  3. regret
Noun
  • His new novel, Vigil, tells the story of an angel tasked with helping a billionaire feel a degree of remorse for his actions before crossing over.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • And while the platform and culture may have changed, the thrill of the hunt—and occasional buyer’s remorse—has not.
    — Adam Erace, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of remorse
Noun
  • Consumed by guilt, Verity acted paralyzed as penance, and to remain close to Jeremy and their remaining child.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • East of Eden is a tome obsessed with guilt, sin, ambition, race, the land as healing and capitalism as putrefying, the nature of fate and the question of free will, and the role money and inheritance play in either our corruption or our cleansing.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of guilt
Noun
  • North Korea issued a vague expression of regret over the soldiers’ injuries without clearly accepting responsibility.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The difficult stuff was writing about regrets regarding my relationship with my father.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of regret

Browse Nearby Words

contrite
contriteness
contrition
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Cite this Entry

“Contriteness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contriteness. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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