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.

Owens alleged editorial interference from management, while McMahon had been unwilling to issue an apology to Trump as part of any potential settlement of the lawsuit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 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've not even had an apology from anybody."

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Following his speech, a representative of the Chinese military asked if Japan would issue an apology to China, South Korea and South East Asian victims in WW2.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

Simple errors can be fixed with an eraser; more complicated blunders require an apology and a sincere effort to make things right.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Vocabulary lists containing apology

Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

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