forgiving
adjective
for·giv·ing fər-ˈgi-viŋ 
fȯr-
1
: willing or able to forgive
2
: allowing room for error or weakness
designed to be a forgiving tennis racquet
forgivingly adverb
forgivingness noun
Example Sentences
a person with a forgiving nature
Recent Examples on the Web To the audience's surprise, Cowell proved most forgiving. 
Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2022 So, if the government is going to keep forgiving debt, universities are going to keep raising prices. Allison Morrow, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 One is that forgiving debt today would be unfair to borrowers who shouldered the sacrifice of paying off their loans. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 To let itself be seen trolling siloviki-style once more in our presidential politics, even the most forgiving American is likely no longer to detect a Trump-era aberration but a pattern. Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 The new Isoflex technology in the frame was designed for a forgiving sweet spot on off-center hits. Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 18 July 2022 Most Steam users don't need to worry about their PC being good enough to play these games as the minimum spec if very forgiving and even lists Windows 7 as an option. Matthew Humphries, PCMAG, 12 July 2022 Sweet Buffy taught us so much about loving and forgiving, about being kind to everyone, including animals, in our lives. BostonGlobe.com, 22 June 2022 Haylie hopes the film conveys a message to be more kind and forgiving. Larry Fink, Fox News, 20 June 2022 See More
Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2022 So, if the government is going to keep forgiving debt, universities are going to keep raising prices. Allison Morrow, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 One is that forgiving debt today would be unfair to borrowers who shouldered the sacrifice of paying off their loans. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 To let itself be seen trolling siloviki-style once more in our presidential politics, even the most forgiving American is likely no longer to detect a Trump-era aberration but a pattern. Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 The new Isoflex technology in the frame was designed for a forgiving sweet spot on off-center hits. Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 18 July 2022 Most Steam users don't need to worry about their PC being good enough to play these games as the minimum spec if very forgiving and even lists Windows 7 as an option. Matthew Humphries, PCMAG, 12 July 2022 Sweet Buffy taught us so much about loving and forgiving, about being kind to everyone, including animals, in our lives. BostonGlobe.com, 22 June 2022 Haylie hopes the film conveys a message to be more kind and forgiving. Larry Fink, Fox News, 20 June 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
forgiving
adjective
for·giv·ing
fər-ˈgi-viŋ
: willing or ready to excuse an error or offense a forgiving person
forgiving 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in caring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- caring
- loving
- understanding
- compassionate
- kind
- considerate
- affectionate
- humane
- doting
- tenderhearted
- warmhearted
- adoring
- devoted
- cordial
- friendly
- fond
- warm
- impassioned
- passionate
- fervent
- tender
- ardent
- enamored
- amorous
- erotic
- infatuated
- sentimental
- amatory
- romantic
- lovesick
- fatherly
- motherly
- mushy
- erotical
- brotherly
- sappy
- sisterly
- lovey-dovey
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unloving
- indifferent
- dry
- unbending
- uncaring
- aloof
- pitiless
- standoffish
- distant
- cool
- unfeeling
- antisocial
- detached
- reserved
- unconcerned
- remote
- offish
- unfriendly
- uninvolved
- frosty
- ruthless
- disaffected
- callous
- hard-hearted
- cold
- heartless
- pitiless
- unsentimental
- cold-eyed
- frigid
- soulless
- unromantic
- cold-blooded
- hard-boiled
2
as in charitable
Synonyms & Similar Words
- charitable
- scattered
- slapdash
- aimless
- random
- haphazard
- stray
- undiscriminating
- indiscriminating
- undemanding
- uncritical
- arbitrary
- indiscriminate
- hit-or-miss
- unselective
- directionless
- unfussy
- desultory
- erratic
- objectless
- purposeless
- catch-as-catch-can
- helter-skelter
- unsystematic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- judicious
- discriminating
- discerning
- finicky
- exacting
- demanding
- picky
- judgmental
- fussy
- fastidious
- particular
- critical
- nitpicky
- overcritical
- faultfinding
- hypercritical
- finical
- rejective
- captious
- cavilling
- carping
- caviling
forgiving
2 of 2verb
1
as in pardoning
to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward it is not easy to forgive those who have hurt us Synonyms & Similar Words
- pardoning
- ignoring
- redeeming
- excusing
- exonerating
- absolving
- acquitting
- vindicating
- condoning
- liberating
- exculpating
- disregarding
- releasing
- remitting
- discharging
- clearing
- shriving
- passing over
- unburdening
- shrugging off
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hating
- resenting
- punishing
- despising
- detesting
- abhorring
- disliking
- retaliating
- penalizing
- loathing
- disciplining
- redressing
- avenging
- revenging
- abominating
- execrating
- requiting
2
as in ignoring
to dismiss as of little importance he has so many good qualities that I guess we can forgive a slight penchant for exaggeration Synonyms & Similar Words
- ignoring
- pardoning
- overlooking
- excusing
- justifying
- explaining
- disregarding
- condoning
- discounting
- whitewashing
- remitting
- overpassing
- passing over
- papering over
- rationalizing
- shrugging off
- forgiving and forgetting
- exonerating
- absolving
- acquitting
- exculpating
- vindicating
- brushing (aside or off)
- blinking (at)
- glossing (over)
- winking (at)
- glozing (over)
- closing one's eyes to
- waiving
- clearing
- waving (aside or off)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- marking
- noting
- heeding
- objecting (to)
- minding