as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
the sincerity of the player's penitence is questionable—he began to express remorse only after the suspension was handed down
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Recent Examples of penitence
Especially at this time of year, when mismatches on the power play — at 6-foot-4, Nichushkin blots out the sun as well as opposing goalies’ vision — can often mean the difference between parades and penitence.
—
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
An attempt by one German activist to shift attention to Russia’s current war showed just how ingrained the traditional focus on World War II penitence has become.
—Ekaterina Bodyagina, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the last day of indulgence allowed before the period of fasting and penitence.
—al, 22 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 14 May 2024
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
An attempt by one German activist to shift attention to Russia’s current war showed just how ingrained the traditional focus on World War II penitence has become.
—Ekaterina Bodyagina, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the last day of indulgence allowed before the period of fasting and penitence.
—al, 22 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitence
Noun
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Many people on Wall Street are also suffering from buyer’s remorse.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2025
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The Major Systems Check Out A new home that turns out to be an unexpected money pit is among the top causes of buyer’s remorse.—
Berit Thorkelson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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His act of sacrifice was a culmination of his guilt over not doing enough to help June before.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
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Woman Cuts Off Sister Following Fight Over $60,000 Inheritance from Their Dad — Who's Still Alive Most Redditors agreed that the woman should keep her legal share of the money — and not feel the slightest bit of guilt about it.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Cabrera previously detailed his regret and what spending time in prison did to change him to The Daily Mail.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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Now, however, King is determined to put that regret in the past.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Moreover, the term body count itself carries a strong undercurrent of shame, particularly toward women.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Doing nothing is no longer an option for schools, teen says Around the country, as cases like Mani's continue to pop up, experts expect that shame prevents most victims from coming forward to flag abuses, suspecting that the problem is much more widespread than media reports suggest.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penitence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitence. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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