forgiving

adjective

for·​giv·​ing fər-ˈgi-viŋ 

fȯr-

1

: willing or able to forgive

2

: allowing room for error or weakness

designed to be a forgiving tennis racquet

forgivingly adverb

forgivingness noun

Examples of forgiving in a Sentence

a person with a forgiving nature

Recent Examples on the Web

The audience was friendly and forgiving of the occasional faltering riff, if not laughing their heads off. —Dan Shanoff, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025

Over the years, those numbers have come down, meaning customers aren’t as forgiving as in prior years. —Shep Hyken, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024

Art is imagination, and imagination can be unbounded, utopian, bitter, euphoric, angry, perverse, vicious, forgiving, embracing, revelatory. —Jon Pareles, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024

The natural Louisiana sunlight that streams into my bedroom is far more forgiving than the harsh fluorescent lights at Chillicothe Correctional Center, where I was incarcerated for the seven years after my sentencing. —Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

forgiving

adjective

for·​giv·​ing

fər-ˈgiv-iŋ,

fȯr-

1

: showing forgiveness : inclined or ready to forgive

a person with a forgiving nature

2

: allowing for human error or weakness

a tennis racket designed to be forgiving

forgivingly adverb

forgivingness noun