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.

Grossman: “Sir, I have an apology for the Iskanders for everything that they’ve gone through.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 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

Mr. Griffin settled for a public apology, plus an assurance that the IRS “has made substantial investments in its data security to strengthen its safeguarding of taxpayer information.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

“I don’t believe the apology was sincere, Principal Wombat,” he said.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness

Vocabulary lists containing apology

Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

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