penitence

noun
UK: /ˈpenɪtəns/
US: /ˈpenɪtəns/

  1. The feeling of being sorry for something you have done because you know it was wrong.

    1. He felt penitence for his lies.
    2. The guilty man showed his penitence during the court hearing expressing deep remorse.

  2. Action that shows you are sorry for something you have done.

    1. Her act of penitence was to apologize.
    2. As an act of penitence he volunteered at the homeless shelter every weekend.

Synonyms

contrition regret repentance compunction remorse

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "penitence" in English means: The feeling of being sorry for something you have done because you know it was wrong., Action that shows you are sorry for something you have done..

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

Synonyms for "penitence": contrition, regret, repentance, compunction, remorse.

Example usage of "penitence": "He felt penitence for his lies.". More examples on the page.