FORGIVE Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'forgive' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of forgive are condone , excuse , and pardon . While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings. // could not forgive their rudeness

Q: When is 'condone' a more appropriate choice than 'forgive'?

The words condone and forgive can be used in similar contexts, but condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it. // a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

Q: When might 'excuse' be a better fit than 'forgive'?

In some situations, the words excuse and forgive are roughly equivalent. However, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances. // excuse an interruption // excused them for interrupting // injustice excuses strong responses

Q: When could 'pardon' be used to replace 'forgive'?

While the synonyms pardon and forgive are close in meaning, pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense. // pardon a criminal

forgive

verb

fər-ˈgiv

Definition of forgive next

as in to pardon

to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward it is not easy to forgive those who have hurt us

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to ignore

to dismiss as of little importance he has so many good qualities that I guess we can forgive a slight penchant for exaggeration

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb forgive differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of forgive are condone, excuse, and pardon. While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

could not forgive their rudeness

When is condone a more appropriate choice than forgive?

The words condone and forgive can be used in similar contexts, but condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

When might excuse be a better fit than forgive?

In some situations, the words excuse and forgive are roughly equivalent. However, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

excuse an interruption

excused them for interrupting

injustice excuses strong responses

When could pardon be used to replace forgive?

While the synonyms pardon and forgive are close in meaning, pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

pardon a criminal

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of forgive Republican attorneys general in Kansas and Missouri, who led the legal challenges against SAVE, argue that President Joe Biden is essentially trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked his sweeping debt cancellation plan in June 2023. —

Annie Nova, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2024 With Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve all taking place in December — you are forgiven if a fifth celebration slipped your mind. —

Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024 In her analysis of the bill Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, noted that the new rules doesn’t forgive medical debt or restrict the collection of it. —

Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 27 Dec. 2024 Fans might therefore be forgiven for wondering whether Meet Me at the Lake is in fact on its way to Netflix or not. —

Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forgive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forgive

Verb

As Trump gears up to take office, he could only be pardoned by Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul, which seems unlikely.

Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025
The possibility of preemptively pardoning people who have not been charged of any crimes raises a host of legal concerns that could sway Biden not to take action.

Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025