noun
apology
uh-POL-uh-jee
noun
1
A statement expressing regret for a mistake or offense.
"He offered a sincere apology for the mix-up."
"The company issued a public apology after the incident."
How to Use Apology
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSaying sorry, formally or informally, for something wrong you did.
Common mistake
Note the shift in meaning over time — an "apology" once meant a formal defense of one's position, not admitting fault; that older sense survives in "apologia."
Common pairings
owe someone an apology
a heartfelt apology
demand an apology
Word Forms
apologies plural
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He offered a sincere _____ for the mix-up.
Etymology
From Greek apologia, "a speech made in one's own defense," from apo- ("away/off") plus logos ("speech").
Rhymes for apology
eulogy
zoology
biology
ecology
analogy
geology
trilogy
theology
ideology
oncology
pathology
mythology
See all rhymes for apology →