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
According to Vatican News, early Christians originally began preparing for Easter with just two days of fasting and penitence, which later turned into Holy Week.
—
Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 16 Feb. 2026
It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter, which falls on April 20 this year.
—Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2025
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
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
Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 16 Feb. 2026
It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter, which falls on April 20 this year.
—Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2025
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
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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Mother testifies on son's remorse Prosecutors also chose not to call any witnesses, and the defense ended after just one – Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
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Kono’s statement acknowledging military coercion of women into front-line brothels paved the way for broader wartime remorse in 1995 and reshaped Japan’s relations with Asian neighbors.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
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For Koji, change can’t come soon enough — the years of fighting for justice for his father have burdened him with guilt and regret.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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Stunned by the image, Charlie is overwhelmed by memories and guilt, and begins clutching his chest in an apparent heart attack.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2026
Noun
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For Koji, change can’t come soon enough — the years of fighting for justice for his father have burdened him with guilt and regret.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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This majestic sequence delivers a lifetime’s outpouring of love’s inadequacies and frustrations, of grief and regret, of gratitude along with candid acceptance of loss, and of self-questioning that never shakes the foundations of the family—her ferocious commitment to the children.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Most people don't develop body shame in a vacuum.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Ji-Na is open and confident while Fatima remains closed off, her shame about her sexuality deeply culturally ingrained.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penitence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penitence. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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