apologize
Express sincere regret
The verb apologize reduces the three words, say you’re sorry, to one, and also makes the expression slightly more formal: The company publicly apologized for the inappropriate content that appeared briefly on its website.
Apologize is weakly used in some formulas and recordings to acknowledge awareness that there is a problem: We apologize for any inconvenience that the closure will cause for our customers.
Guilt for wrongdoing
- regretSorrow over past actions
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
contrite · sorry · penitent · ashamed · self-reproach · compunction · heartfelt · sincere
Expressing regret or apology
- excuse meApology for minor intrusion
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- beg pardonRequest forgiveness or repetition
- forgive meRequest for absolution
pardon me · regrets · I'm sorry · please forgive · my mistake · my fault · my bad
Confirm receipt or truth
- confessAcknowledge wrongdoing openly
- admitConfess or grant entry
- concedeAdmit something reluctantly
- own upAcknowledge one's wrongdoing
disclose · reveal · avow · profess · come clean · fess up · declare · affirm
Compensate for wrongdoing
- compensateMake up for
- redressCompensation for injury
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- rectifyTo make something right
repair · make it right · make up · atone · recompense · indemnify · correct · resolve
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- make peaceResolve conflict between parties
- mend fencesRestore strained relations
- reconcileResolve a disagreement
- healingRestoration of health
olive branch · rebuild · harmony · resolution · rapprochement · bury the hatchet · patch things up · mediation
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
repentance · contrite · sorry · penitent · ashamed · self-reproach · compunction · heartfelt · sincere · rueful
sorry
Expressing regret or apology
- excuse meApology for minor intrusion
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- beg pardonRequest forgiveness or repetition
forgive me · pardon me · regrets · I'm sorry · please forgive · my mistake · my fault · my bad
acknowledge
Confirm receipt or truth
own up · disclose · reveal · avow · profess · come clean · fess up · declare · affirm · recognize
make amends
Compensate for wrongdoing
- compensateMake up for
- redressCompensation for injury
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
rectify · repair · make it right · make up · atone · recompense · indemnify · correct · resolve · settle
forgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- make peaceResolve conflict between parties
- mend fencesRestore strained relations
- reconcileResolve a disagreement
healing · olive branch · rebuild · harmony · resolution · rapprochement · bury the hatchet · patch things up · mediation · reunion
- foster relationshipslisten, communicate, trust, empathy, support
- good mannerssay please, smile, shake hands
- behavior requestsplease, stop, wait, help, listen
- reconciliationreconciliation, reconcile, reconciled, reconciling, making up
- social actionsinteract, communicate, connect, socialize, engage
- social lifefriend, family, group, relationship, community
- my apologiesExpression of regret
- I apologizeExpression of remorse
- public apologiesFormal acknowledgments of fault
- no apologies
- send one's apologiesNotify of absence regretfully
- non-apology apologiesInsincere expressions of regret
apologies, apologizing, apologized, apologizes, apologist, apologise, apologised, apologises, apologising