as in remorse
a feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing
we were moved to forgive by his tearful expressions of contrition
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Recent Examples of contrition
Rice has shown contrition in his interviews with local media and through several statements his attorney has made on his behalf.
—
Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2025
Afterward, the penitent offers a prayer of contrition, asking for God’s mercy.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Sydney, Australia Reuters — A court ordered Australia’s largest airline, Qantas Airways, on Monday to pay a record fine of A$90 million ($58.64 million) for illegally sacking 1,800 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and criticized it for a lack of contrition.
—CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Finding contrition less than forthcoming, the husband hauled off and punched Chase, causing chaos in the school halls, according to a story in the Philadelphia Times.
—Anne Halsey, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrition
Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2025
Afterward, the penitent offers a prayer of contrition, asking for God’s mercy.
—Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
Sydney, Australia Reuters — A court ordered Australia’s largest airline, Qantas Airways, on Monday to pay a record fine of A$90 million ($58.64 million) for illegally sacking 1,800 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and criticized it for a lack of contrition.
—CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Finding contrition less than forthcoming, the husband hauled off and punched Chase, causing chaos in the school halls, according to a story in the Philadelphia Times.
—Anne Halsey, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contrition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrition
Noun
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Recordings left behind reveal his cold calculation, lack of remorse, and belief that guilt is a toxic emotion that should not dictate human behavior.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
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In his final days, Djerf expressed remorse and stated that the focus should be on his victims, not him.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Concern was etched in her voice and guilt rang through me.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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Parents can enjoy guilt free screen time , which is actually educational.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Several Redditor regrets stem from trends that prioritize looks over livability.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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Omnilert, the company that operates the AI gun detection system, expressed regret over the incident and emphasized that its system is designed to identify a possible threat and elevate it to human review.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrition. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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