Meaning & use
forgiving
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Ready to excuse people for their mistakes or wrongs and not hold a grudge against them.
Grammar: Can be used before a noun or after be; often followed by of: forgiving of mistakes.
Patterns
- forgiving of something
- be forgiving toward someone
My grandmother is a very forgiving person who never stays angry.
He was forgiving of the child's honest mistake.
Be forgiving with yourself when you are learning something new.
adjectivecomparable
Not strict or harsh about errors, so that small mistakes do not cause serious trouble.
Grammar: Describes things, not people: a forgiving recipe, a forgiving schedule.
Patterns
- a forgiving something
This bread dough is very forgiving, even if you add too much water.
A wide-brimmed golf club is more forgiving for beginners.
The teacher gave a forgiving deadline because of the storm.
noununcountablerare
The act of pardoning someone, used in the gerund form.
Grammar: As a noun, forgiving means the act of pardoning; forgiveness is the usual noun.
Patterns
- the forgiving of something
Her forgiving of the debt surprised everyone.
The priest spoke about forgiving and moving on.
The forgiving of past wrongs takes courage.
Word forms
| comparative | more forgiving |
|---|---|
| superlative | most forgiving |
Common combinations
- forgiving nature
- Her forgiving nature made her easy to love.
- forgiving of mistakes
- The software is forgiving of mistakes.
- a forgiving person
- He is a forgiving person.
- forgiving attitude
- A forgiving attitude helps friendships last.
- less forgiving
- The next judge was far less forgiving.
Synonyms and how they differ
- merciful
- Merciful is stronger and usually describes someone who has power to punish but chooses not to.
- lenient
- Lenient suggests being mild about rules or punishments, sometimes too mild.
- tolerant
- Tolerant means accepting of differences or faults, not necessarily pardoning a specific wrong.
- understanding
- Understanding is broader and warmer, referring to sympathy rather than to pardoning.
Opposites
Word family
- forgive verb
- to stop blaming someone for a wrong
- forgiveness noun
- the act or quality of pardoning
- forgivable adjective
- able to be pardoned
- unforgiving adjective
- unwilling to pardon, or harsh
- forgivingly adverb
- in a pardoning way
Commonly confused: forgiving or forgiving vs. giving?
forgiving vs forgiving vs. giving
Forgiving means willing to pardon, while giving means generous or handing something over.
Practice
She is so ___ that she never holds a grudge, even after a bad argument.
Choose one answer.
Forgiving means ready to pardon others. Unforgiving is the opposite, and demanding and anxious do not describe someone who lets go of anger.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forgiving”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.