apology
noun
apol·o·gy
ə-ˈpä-lə-jē 
plural apologies
1
a
: an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret
a public apology
b
apologies plural
: an expression of regret for not being able to do something
I won't be able to attend. Please give them my apologies.
2
a
: something that is said or written to defend something that other people criticize : defense
The book is an apology for capitalism.
b
3
informal
: a poor substitute or example : makeshift
He's a poor apology for a father.
Examples of apology in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hearne went on to question the validity of Schneider’s apology.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2024
Wallen issued a public apology afterward, then released a photo of himself smiling next to the bar’s owner, Kid Rock.
—Avi Selk, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
But, sometimes there’s a man, a man for his time and place, who fits right in, and with apologies to the Big Lebowski, Chandran Sankaran, is that man.
—Lawrence Carrel, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The company president and other top officials held a news conference last week when the problem first surfaced, bowing their heads in apology, as is the standard in Japan.
—Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 27 Mar. 2024
This offseason was more about subtraction than addition, with apologies to Kirby Yates.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The person who answered referred to the pastor’s apology on the church’s website and ended the call.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
Genuine apologies act as catalysts for reconciliation, fostering understanding and personal growth.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
In 2010, in an appearance on CNBC, Levin made a public apology for the deal.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2024
Wallen issued a public apology afterward, then released a photo of himself smiling next to the bar’s owner, Kid Rock.
—Avi Selk, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
But, sometimes there’s a man, a man for his time and place, who fits right in, and with apologies to the Big Lebowski, Chandran Sankaran, is that man.
—Lawrence Carrel, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The company president and other top officials held a news conference last week when the problem first surfaced, bowing their heads in apology, as is the standard in Japan.
—Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 27 Mar. 2024
This offseason was more about subtraction than addition, with apologies to Kirby Yates.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
The person who answered referred to the pastor’s apology on the church’s website and ended the call.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
Genuine apologies act as catalysts for reconciliation, fostering understanding and personal growth.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
In 2010, in an appearance on CNBC, Levin made a public apology for the deal.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'apology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near apology
Cite this Entry
“Apology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apology. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apology
noun
apol·o·gy
ə-ˈpäl-ə-jē
plural apologies
1
: an expression of regret (as for a mistake or for rudeness)
2
: a poor example
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share