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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 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
-
Extraction intensifies to compensate.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The judge concluded program participants could not be Salvation Army employees because there was no express or implied agreement they would be compensated.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Funk said the site offers deals six to 12 times the value, compared to redeeming points for cash back.—
Ashley Portillo,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This ticket must be redeemed at the Florida Lottery main office or one of the nine district offices, such as the one in Miami Lakes at 14621 Oak Ln.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In August 2024, federal prosecutors accused JMG Investments and Schwartz of improperly receiving two PPP loans in December 2020 and not repaying the duplicate loan as required, according to the DOJ.—
Andrea Klick,
Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For clarity purposes, the figures below assume that the full line of credit is borrowed immediately and then repaid (and that the interest rate remains constant).—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This story has been updated to correct the attribution in a quote to Nixon instead of Moody.—
Freida Frisaro,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The story has been corrected and updated.—
Steven Portnoy,
ABC News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expiate. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
