penance

noun
UK: /ˈpenəns/
US: /ˈpenəns/

  1. An act of self-punishment or religious devotion to show sorrow or regret for doing something wrong.

    1. His penance was to clean the church.
    2. As a penance for his dishonesty, he volunteered at the homeless shelter.

  2. Something you must do, or a fine you must pay, to show that you are sorry for something bad you have done.

    1. The judge ordered community service as penance.
    2. The thief did his penance by paying back all of the stolen money.

Synonyms

atonement reparation expiation contrition repentance self-punishment

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "penance" in English means: An act of self-punishment or religious devotion to show sorrow or regret for doing something wrong., Something you must do, or a fine you must pay, to show that you are sorry for something bad you have done..

The phonetic transcription of "penance" is /ˈpenəns/ in British English and /ˈpenəns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "penance": atonement, reparation, expiation, contrition, repentance, self-punishment.

Example usage of "penance": "His penance was to clean the church.". More examples on the page.