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.
“I write to make amends,” she reflects, describing a lifetime of studying Cuba as a kind of penance for what she calls being “the chosen one” that spring day in 1963.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
A breakfast that feels more like penance than possibility.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026
His penance is to “pass, like night, from land to land,” repeating his story: “And till my ghastly tale is told, / This heart within me burns.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
In mitigation, Carruthers' barrister Andrew Gurney said the mechanic from Wigton would carry the burden of regret for his "stupid act" as a "personal penance" for the rest of his life.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025
“Yes, yes, just sit down, Goddard. Your penance will be to shut up for a whole five minutes.”
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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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