Definitions

apology

[uh-pol-uh-jee] / əˈpɒl ə dʒi /

NOUN

offering of remorse, regret

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acknowledgment admission amends atonement concession confession excuse explanation justification plea redress reparation

STRONG

defense extenuation mitigation vindication

WEAK

mea culpa

Antonyms

STRONGEST

denial refusal repudiation

WEAK

accusation censure charge complaint condemnation criticism defiance indictment

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The so-called New Orleans Five demanded an apology from the association, Kahn told me.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

OpenAI has since come under fire for failing to report the suspect's account to police, prompting a written apology to the victims' families by CEO Sam Altman.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Elmo eventually responded in character, attempting to smooth things over with a pun-filled apology.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

In response to the backlash, Koc issued a brief apology published by Koc Holding on X, saying his remarks "were not intended to target any particular group".

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

As a result of Spassky’s letter, Bobby never spoke to Petra again, but he accepted his friend’s apology and maintained cordial relations with Spassky.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Vocabulary lists containing apology

Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

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