as in to compensate
to make up for (an offense)
Yom Kippur is the holy day on which Jews are expected to expiate sins committed during the past year
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Recent Examples of expiate
The Sisters have come a long way, but never strayed from their mission: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.
—
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2023
But now Epstein, 49, is wearing a different hat, and hoping to expiate his unintended sins against a sport that has been his lifelong passion.
—David Axelrod, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023
In the former category are Ani (Katy Sullivan), who lost her legs in a car accident, and her ex-husband Eddie (David Zayas), a good-natured, unemployed truck driver who insists on caring for Ani, possibly to expiate his guilt over cheating on her when they were married.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2022
Only the brilliant Richard Fleischer–Norman Wexler Mandingo in 1975 would expiate that consciousness.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022
In 17th-century Austria, wooden pillars were erected for the self-mortifying convenience of the flagellants who roamed Europe, whipping themselves to expiate whatever sins had brought on the Black Death.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 15 Mar. 2021
Ridding oneself of guilt is often easier than overcoming shame, in part because our society offers many ways to expiate guilt-inducing offenses, including apologizing, paying fines, and serving jail time.
—Annette Kämmerer, Scientific American, 9 Aug. 2019
Anyone who’s familiar with the world of competitive cycling knows that, for some athletes, the sport is a means of escaping, or salving, or expiating, tremendous inner pain.
—Bill Gifford, Outside Online, 24 July 2019
Perhaps, but as Chief Justice John Roberts notes in his persuasive dissent, there’s no crisis that now compels the Court to expiate a long-ago mistake that Congress has the power to fix.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 21 June 2018
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2023
But now Epstein, 49, is wearing a different hat, and hoping to expiate his unintended sins against a sport that has been his lifelong passion.
—David Axelrod, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023
In the former category are Ani (Katy Sullivan), who lost her legs in a car accident, and her ex-husband Eddie (David Zayas), a good-natured, unemployed truck driver who insists on caring for Ani, possibly to expiate his guilt over cheating on her when they were married.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2022
Only the brilliant Richard Fleischer–Norman Wexler Mandingo in 1975 would expiate that consciousness.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022
In 17th-century Austria, wooden pillars were erected for the self-mortifying convenience of the flagellants who roamed Europe, whipping themselves to expiate whatever sins had brought on the Black Death.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 15 Mar. 2021
Ridding oneself of guilt is often easier than overcoming shame, in part because our society offers many ways to expiate guilt-inducing offenses, including apologizing, paying fines, and serving jail time.
—Annette Kämmerer, Scientific American, 9 Aug. 2019
Anyone who’s familiar with the world of competitive cycling knows that, for some athletes, the sport is a means of escaping, or salving, or expiating, tremendous inner pain.
—Bill Gifford, Outside Online, 24 July 2019
Perhaps, but as Chief Justice John Roberts notes in his persuasive dissent, there’s no crisis that now compels the Court to expiate a long-ago mistake that Congress has the power to fix.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expiate
Verb
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Developers need to build AI systems that can recognize and compensate for their own biases.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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To compensate for the decreased aroma from the tea leaves during the brewing process, magnolia leaves and olive oil are added to enhance the flavor, giving it a dose of freshness.—
Maggie Hiufu Wong,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This series had no redeeming science value, but was pure unadulterated entertainment.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Here’s how to claim your lottery prize All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600.—
Detroit Free Press Staff,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The new option is intended to replace several older programs that have allowed borrowers repay their student loans based on their income, with eventual student loan forgiveness after years in repayment.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Weeks later, the U.S. envoy to Cambodia at the time emphasized that Cambodia should repay hundreds of millions of dollars in loans from the 1970s, originally given as food aid to the Lon Nol government.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Correction: This story has been updated to correct the total death toll.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
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This leaves taxpayers vulnerable to IRS assessments indefinitely, even after attempting to correct the fraudulent filing.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expiate. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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