penance
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.
There are the shamefaced former members, who confess their gullibility as a kind of penance; there are the cockamamie claims on which the belief system is based.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Starting in the fourth century, pilgrimages were served up by the church as a way for Christians to pay penance for their sins.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
As if doing penance for the past, all four of the film’s stars are associated with superhero franchises.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
A cold-weather salad wants heat at its core, something warm enough to soften the greens and make the whole bowl feel like actual food rather than penance.
From Salon • Dec. 16, 2025
In church, in early November there was Advent, the time for penance.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Vocabulary lists containing penance
Fahrenheit 451
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The Poet X
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The Joy Luck Club
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