pen·ance
ˈpe-nən(t)s 
1
: an act of self-abasement, mortification (see mortification sense 3), or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin
He did charitable work as a penance.
2
: a sacramental rite that is practiced in Roman, Eastern, and some Anglican churches and that consists of private confession, absolution, and a penance directed by the confessor (see confessor sense 3a)
3
: something (such as a hardship or penalty) resembling an act of penance (as in compensating for an offense)
who go on cheap camping trips instead of real vacations as a kind of penance—
Judith Thurman
Judith Thurman
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How Should You Use penance?
Penance as a form of apology for a mistake can be either voluntary or ordered by someone else. Many religions include penance among the ways in which believers can show repentance or regret for a misdeed. The Christian season of Lent, 40 days long, is traditionally a time for doing penance.
Examples of penance in a Sentence
Noun
He did charitable work as a penance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
But upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The Catholic sacrament of reconciliation, also known as penance or confession, has been a compelling set piece for fiction writers over the ages, from medieval novels to contemporary films.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
After her opponents drop their pants as penance for losing the game, Bey exits a bar on a motorcycle.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Aug. 2025
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Noun
Golf course designer Donald Ross said famously that golf should be a pleasure, not a penance.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
But upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The Catholic sacrament of reconciliation, also known as penance or confession, has been a compelling set piece for fiction writers over the ages, from medieval novels to contemporary films.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
After her opponents drop their pants as penance for losing the game, Bey exits a bar on a motorcycle.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penance
Cite this Entry
“Penance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penance. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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