verb
atone
uh-TOHN
Atone (verb) means to make amends for a wrongdoing or mistake. Example: “He spent years trying to atone for his youthful mistakes.”
verb
1
To make amends for a wrongdoing or mistake.
"He tried to atone for his mistakes by working harder."
"The ritual was performed to atone for sins."
"He spent years trying to atone for his youthful mistakes."
"She volunteered at the shelter to atone for her earlier neglect."
"She gave a donation to atone for her past actions."
How to use atone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make up for something wrong you did, usually through actions rather than just words.
Common pairings
atone for a sin
atone for a mistake
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- atones
- Past tense
- atoned
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He spent years trying to _____ for his youthful mistakes.
Etymology
From Middle English atone, literally "at one" — to bring into agreement or unity, later coming to mean making amends.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for atone
See all rhymes for atone →Frequently asked questions
What does “atone” mean?
The word “atone” means to make amends for a wrongdoing or mistake. In plain terms, to make up for something wrong you did, usually through actions rather than just words.
How do you pronounce “atone”?
“Atone” is pronounced uh-TOHN (/əˈtoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “atone” in a sentence?
Here is “atone” used in a sentence: “He spent years trying to atone for his youthful mistakes.”
What is another word for “atone”?
Words with a similar meaning to “atone” include abegge, abide, aby/abye, acquit, answer and answer for.
What part of speech is “atone”?
“Atone” is a verb.
Where does the word “atone” come from?
The word “atone” comes from Middle English. From Middle English atone, literally "at one" — to bring into agreement or unity, later coming to mean making amends.
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