atoning
Seeking to repair
Atoning is the present participle of atone—to make amends for wrongdoing or offense.
Someone atoning for past mistakes is actively working to repair the harm caused: He spent years atoning for his betrayal.
The word carries a sense of ongoing effort or penance, often with moral or spiritual weight.
Compensation for wrongdoing
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- healingRestoration of health
- restorationReturning something to condition
- mendingRestoring damaged items
peace · harmony · bridge-building · forgiveness · reunion · rapprochement · understanding · resolution
Remorseful state over misdeeds
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
culpability · repentance · compunction · self-condemnation · sorrow · confession · soul-searching · conscience
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
exoneration · reprieve · redemption · acquittal · cleansing · release · liberation · renewal
Intense shame or embarrassment
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- flagellationBeating with a whip
self-punishment · purification · abstinence · pilgrimage · prostration · self-abasement · ritual · prayer
Restoring what was lost
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- remedyCurative treatment or fix
correction · repayment · recompense · indemnity · settlement · satisfaction · justice · restoration
amends
Compensation for wrongdoing
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- healingRestoration of health
- restorationReturning something to condition
mending · peace · harmony · bridge-building · forgiveness · reunion · rapprochement · understanding · resolution · olive-branch
contrition
Remorseful state over misdeeds
self-reproach · culpability · repentance · compunction · self-condemnation · sorrow · confession · soul-searching · conscience · wrongdoing
forgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
clemency · exoneration · reprieve · redemption · acquittal · cleansing · release · liberation · renewal · salvation
mortification
Intense shame or embarrassment
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
flagellation · self-punishment · purification · abstinence · pilgrimage · prostration · self-abasement · ritual · prayer · vigil
restitution
Restoring what was lost
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- rectificationAct of setting straight
remedy · correction · repayment · recompense · indemnity · settlement · satisfaction · justice · restoration · payback
- apologizingadmitting fault, asking forgiveness, confessing, owning up
- reconcilingforgiving, apologizing, mending, peacemaking, mediating
- taking responsibilityowning up, admitting fault, confessing, apologizing, accountability
- sacred adjectivesdivine, holy, blessed, sacred, sanctified
- compensationpay, salary, income, wage, bonus
- fixing problemsfixing, repairing, mending, patching, restoring
atoningunrepentant
Feeling no remorse
impenitent · unapologetic · remorseless · unremorseful · shameless
atoningoffending
Breaking rules or norms
sinning · transgressing · wronging · harming · compounding
atone, atonement, expiation, atonal, atoned, propitiation, atoner, atones, atonality