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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Recent Examples of penitence
It was initially conceived as a time of fasting and penitence, not unlike Lent, during which observant Christians prepared themselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas.
—
Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024
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
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
In the justice system of early modern Europe, public executions offered a spectacle of both punishment and penitence.
—Katrina Gulliver, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024
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
In many religions, the sacrifice of hair can signal penitence.
—Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023
In the justice system of early modern Europe, public executions offered a spectacle of both punishment and penitence.
—Katrina Gulliver, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for penitence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penitence
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
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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
Noun
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There were no songs from that album in the mix, which is a shame.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Menopause is a perfect time to expand your definition of intimacy, and that means removing the shame from having open and honest conversations.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penitence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitence. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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