atones (for)

present tense third-person singular of atone (for)
as in compensates
to make up for (an offense) tried to atone for forgetting their anniversary by giving his wife a truly extravagant gift

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atones (for)
Verb
  • For years, Whitehouse’s state has been grappling with challenges stemming from how the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services compensates healthcare providers.
    — David Lim, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Pay now or later, or not at all Some mutual fund share classes charge a sales commission, or load, that compensates the broker or advisor who sells the fund.
    — Debbie Carlson, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But the film redeems itself with its strong anti-colonialist message that provides a surprisingly serious element to the otherwise escapist goings-on.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
  • Lilypad also redeems herself by the end of the movie.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Then, the district repays that amount with interest over the years using property tax revenue in a process approved by voters.
    — Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Under the baseline scenario, that student repays $103,645 over a standard 10-year term.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This story corrects a previous version that stated the candidates who placed third, fourth and fifth gathered 6 million votes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Surgical options — most often reconstructive surgery, which corrects the prolapse and aims to put the pelvic organs back in place — may be considered when symptoms are severe or conservative treatments do not help, according to the Mayo Clinic.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 6 Oct. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Atones (for).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atones%20%28for%29. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!