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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penitence
Some could bring only fear, and the probability of future fear was dependent on the probability of past fear, as well as on the parent’s over-all chance of penitence.
—
Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Weike Wang, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitence
Noun
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Known for their efficiency and lack of remorse, the duo will kill anyone as long as the price is right.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
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Awarding his character the poetry of remorse undercuts Vic’s arc as an animal that Quilla only thought was capable of love.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
Noun
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There's a lot of guilt … a ton of fear, but there's also deep gratitude.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
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Wood sent to prison after violating probation A Jan. 1, 2010, incident — five months after his initial probation ended — led to an admission of guilt by Wood.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
12 July 2025
Noun
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There, of course, should be zero regret in signing Serrano, who has represented the brand better than anybody.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 July 2025
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But in May, nine leading children’s hospitals across the country received letters from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, demanding data on revenue from pediatric gender treatments and the rates of regret among patients, according to a person with knowledge of the effort.—
Azeen Ghorayshi,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Here’s an alphabetical list: Demons at Dawn is Julián Hernández’s morning-after romance, a rebuke of the walk of shame that embraces a careerist couple’s need for love.—
Armond White,
National Review,
9 July 2025
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Many people with hypersexual behaviors feel intense feelings of guilt and shame, which can affect their mental health.2 Experts aren’t sure what causes hypersexuality.—
Wendy Wisner,
Health,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penitence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitence. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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