as in excusable
worthy of forgiveness
accidentally spilling your coffee on my newspaper is certainly a forgivable mishap
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Recent Examples of forgivable
All this might be forgivable if the secretary were not conspicuously incompetent.
—
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Maybe if Monroe and Withers had any chemistry, Reminders of Him would be more forgivable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, in one of Sunny Nights’ many forgivable coincidences, Joyce—a reporter languishing at a (dated) digital media content mine—starts investigating the very gang her husband is mixed up in.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Assistance is an interest-free, forgivable, self-amortizing loan in an amount subject to the city’s assessment of needs, not to exceed $24,000.
—Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Given that Trafford’s commitment in training and his performances on the pitch have not been adversely affected, his disappointment is understandable and, surely, forgivable.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Besides being fully forgivable after 30 years, no interest is charged to the borrower and all payments are deferred, so repayment is made in full only upon ownership change prior to 30 years.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Some old-school joints use frozen or canned options year-round—a forgivable workaround when doused with enough garlic.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
In the Bronx, New York, the HOME Down Payment and Closing Costs program offers up to $40,000 in aid, depending on need, with an incrementally forgivable zero-interest, five- to 10-year loan.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Maybe if Monroe and Withers had any chemistry, Reminders of Him would be more forgivable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, in one of Sunny Nights’ many forgivable coincidences, Joyce—a reporter languishing at a (dated) digital media content mine—starts investigating the very gang her husband is mixed up in.
—Judy Berman, Time, 11 Mar. 2026
Assistance is an interest-free, forgivable, self-amortizing loan in an amount subject to the city’s assessment of needs, not to exceed $24,000.
—Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Given that Trafford’s commitment in training and his performances on the pitch have not been adversely affected, his disappointment is understandable and, surely, forgivable.
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Besides being fully forgivable after 30 years, no interest is charged to the borrower and all payments are deferred, so repayment is made in full only upon ownership change prior to 30 years.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Some old-school joints use frozen or canned options year-round—a forgivable workaround when doused with enough garlic.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
In the Bronx, New York, the HOME Down Payment and Closing Costs program offers up to $40,000 in aid, depending on need, with an incrementally forgivable zero-interest, five- to 10-year loan.
—Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forgivable
Adjective
-
The time when teachers gain popularity points for airing local team’s games, and kindly bosses understand that Thursday is an excusable sick day.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Some experts believe there are instances where the practice is excusable.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Only three justifiable arguments were made for this war.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Only three justifiable arguments were made for this war.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But in this instance, the breach is entirely pardonable, because these two men, Jun and Arthur, have just gotten married.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Aug. 2025
-
All this is to say that any excesses of enthusiasm for Friday (and Thursday) might seem pardonable, although each day reached the thermal pinnacle of the 80s.—
Martin Weil,
Washington Post,
19 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Forgivable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forgivable. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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