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
Larded throughout this scene is that unmistakable suggestion, yet again, that the play exists because its playwright needed — if not to right a cosmic wrong — to create a place to house or expiate his grief.
—
Rhoda Feng, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Rhoda Feng, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expiate
Verb
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Olalquiaga’s letter also said the school district disagreed with CORE’s decision to remove its equipment from the site and would not compensate the company for the extra time.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
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The financial loss for Brazil's public accounts will be compensated by a 12% tax on crude exports, the government said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Licenses must be redeemed within 30 days of purchase.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
21 Mar. 2026
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Those ideals inspired what was written into the Constitution, and the very idea that our Constitution must be amended and our nation improved by future generations who could redeem their shortcomings and address their imperfections through collective struggle and the democratic process.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Instead of repaying the loans, borrowers just gave their properties to the bank, which sold them to other banks at a paper profit, according to Namazi.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Commissioners Court voted unanimously Friday to advertise its intent to issue $350 million in bonds, which would amount to $688 million with interest repaid through property taxes over the next several decades.—
Tracey McManus,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Patent law is supposed to correct this.—
Ugo Troiano,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
This story has been updated to correct that Cofer is self-employed.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expiate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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