redemptive
Making things right
Redemptive describes something that saves, restores, or makes amends.
A redemptive act compensates for past wrongs: He saw volunteer work as redemptive after years of selfishness.
The word often carries religious overtones of spiritual salvation, but applies broadly to anything that redeems—a redemptive ending to a film, a redemptive quality in an otherwise flawed character.
Giving up something precious
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- propitiationAct of placating deity
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
reparation · contrition · remorse · penitence · repentance · absolution · purification · cleansing
Effortless beauty of motion
- saviorOne who rescues another
- deliveranceRescue from bondage
- liberationRelease from constraint
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
conversion · sanctification · justification · messiah · emancipation · resurrection · transformation · saved
Regaining what was lost
- therapyCurative mental treatment
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- cureTreatment that heals
- wellnessOverall state of health
treatment · mending · restoration · renewal · recuperation · wholeness · catharsis · closure
Curved line segment
- storyAccount of events
- journeyTravel from place to place
- triumphResounding, celebrated victory
- comebackRecovery after decline
transformation · protagonist · hero · underdog · second-chance · vindication · overcoming · inspiring
sacrifice
Giving up something precious
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- propitiationAct of placating deity
amends · reparation · contrition · remorse · penitence · repentance · absolution · purification · cleansing · guilt
grace
Effortless beauty of motion
- saviorOne who rescues another
- deliveranceRescue from bondage
- liberationRelease from constraint
rebirth · conversion · sanctification · justification · messiah · emancipation · resurrection · transformation · saved · gospel
recovery
Regaining what was lost
- therapyCurative mental treatment
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- cureTreatment that heals
wellness · treatment · mending · restoration · renewal · recuperation · wholeness · catharsis · closure · reconciliation
arc
Curved line segment
comeback · transformation · protagonist · hero · underdog · second-chance · vindication · overcoming · inspiring · uplifting
redemptivedamning
Proving guilt conclusively
condemning · damnable · corrupting · unredeemable · evil
redemptivetragic
Causing great sorrow
nihilistic · destructive · pointless · meaningless · futile
- redemption arcNarrative journey toward atonement
- beyond redemptionUnable to be saved
- redemption storiesNarratives about overcoming past wrongs
- spiritual redemptionSoul restored to grace
- redemption storyNarrative of moral recovery
- The Shawshank Redemption