apologynoun
uk/əˈpɒl.ə.dʒi/us/əˈpɑː.lə.dʒi/apology noun (SAYING SORRY)
B1 [ C or U ] an act of saying that you are sorry for something wrong you have done:
I have an apology to make to you - I'm afraid I opened your letter by mistake.
He's demanding a full apology from the newspaper for making untrue allegations about his personal life.
"Was he at all sorry for what he'd done?" "Oh he was full of apologies (= extremely sorry)."
She complained to the company and they sent her a written apology.
I owe you an apology - I'm afraid I forgot to send that report.
a letter of apology
More examples
- She wouldn't give in until she received a full apology.
- I didn't think his grudging remarks really counted as an apology.
- I offered her an apology, but she wouldn't accept it.
- He sent me some flowers by way of an apology.
- I think you owe me an apology.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making & accepting apologies
- absolution
- afraid
- atonement
- conciliate
- cut
- excusable
- excuse
- excuse/pardon my French! idiom
- forge
- forgiving
- make it up to sb idiom
- mend
- mend your fences idiom
- overlook
- pardon (me) idiom
- recompense
- reconcile
- repentant
- take sb back
- unrepentant
See more results »
apology noun (MESSAGE)
(your) apologies B1 [ plural ] formal
a message politely telling someone that you cannot be present at their meeting or party:
The vice chair has sent his apologies - he's abroad at present.
Apologies were received from Phil Baker and Mark Johnson.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making & accepting apologies
- absolution
- afraid
- atonement
- conciliate
- cut
- excusable
- excuse
- excuse/pardon my French! idiom
- forge
- forgiving
- make it up to sb idiom
- mend
- mend your fences idiom
- overlook
- pardon (me) idiom
- recompense
- reconcile
- repentant
- take sb back
- unrepentant
See more results »
apology noun (EXPLANATION)
[ C ] formal a formal explanation or defence of a belief or system, especially one that is unpopular
Idiom(s)
be an apology for sth
make no apologies