Meaning & use
forgiveness
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Meanings
noununcountable
The act of letting go of anger toward someone who has wronged you, and no longer blaming them.
Grammar: Not used with 'a': ask for forgiveness, not ask for a forgiveness.
Patterns
- forgiveness for something
- ask someone's forgiveness
She begged for his forgiveness after forgetting his birthday.
Forgiveness took time, but they eventually became friends again.
He offered forgiveness to the man who had wronged him.
noununcountablefinance
The cancelling of a debt or penalty, so that it no longer has to be paid.
Grammar: Used with loan, debt or student loans.
Patterns
- forgiveness of a debt
- loan forgiveness
The government announced forgiveness of student loans for some teachers.
Debt forgiveness gave the small country a fresh start.
The bank considered forgiveness of the unpaid interest.
noununcountable
A willingness to forgive, or a gentle, tolerant attitude toward faults.
Grammar: Describes a quality: a person of great forgiveness.
Her forgiveness toward her students made her much loved.
A spirit of forgiveness filled the hall.
The judge showed forgiveness by choosing a light sentence.
Common combinations
- ask for forgiveness
- He asked for forgiveness for shouting at her.
- seek forgiveness
- She sought forgiveness from the people she had hurt.
- grant forgiveness
- The elder granted forgiveness to the young thief.
- beg forgiveness
- The child begged forgiveness for the broken window.
- loan forgiveness
- Loan forgiveness could save her thousands of dollars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pardon
- Pardon is more formal and often official, as when a leader pardons a prisoner, whereas forgiveness is personal.
- mercy
- Mercy is leniency shown by someone with power to punish, while forgiveness is giving up resentment.
- absolution
- Absolution is a formal declaration, often religious, that sins are forgiven.
- clemency
- Clemency is official leniency from an authority, usually in a legal setting.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: forgiveness or permission?
forgiveness vs permission
Permission means being allowed to do something. Forgiveness is given after a wrong has been done, and asking for forgiveness is different from asking for permission.
Practice
Which sentence uses forgiveness correctly?
Choose one answer.
Forgiveness is uncountable, so it takes no 'a' and no plural. The fourth option is awkward because forgiveness is asked from a person.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forgiveness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.