as in to compensate
to make up for (an offense)
tried to atone for forgetting their anniversary by giving his wife a truly extravagant gift
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atone (for)
Verb
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But Detroit’s damning offensive flaws, which its defense compensated for during the regular season, were exposed by the Cavs.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 May 2026 -
Last week, Oklahoma lawmakers passed a bill introduced by the Merediths’ state senator, Avery Frix, that would create a fund to compensate homeowners whose houses have been damaged by oil and gas pollution.—
Nick Bowlin,
ProPublica,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Winners may not substitute, assign, or transfer any prize or redeem any prize for cash; however, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute a prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value.—
Tim McGovern,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
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The Armorer says that after removing his helmet, he can only be redeemed by bathing in the Living Waters on Mandalore.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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But after the Supreme Court ruling roughly two-thirds of this will have to be repaid, so the general effect on the federal finances will be relatively minor.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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The country’s high court has acquitted the Colombian singer of tax fraud and ordered the treasury to repay the money to her, with interest.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Board president Kevin Smith said the poll workers took the correct actions with the adamant voter and Thursday’s board vote corrected his attempt to vote a second time.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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That was the focus of a Supreme Court case that ultimately determined the prosecution's failure to correct Sneed's testimony violated Glossip's constitutional right to due process, granting him a new trial with an order issued in February 2025.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Larded throughout this scene is that unmistakable suggestion, yet again, that the play exists because its playwright needed — if not to right a cosmic wrong — to create a place to house or expiate his grief.—
Rhoda Feng,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Sisters have come a long way, but never strayed from their mission: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Atone (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atone%20%28for%29. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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