forgiveverb [ I or T, not continuous ]
uk/fəˈɡɪv/us/fɚˈɡɪv/forgave, forgivenB1 to stop blaming or being angry with someone for something that person has done, or not punish them for something:
I don't think she's ever quite forgiven me for getting her name wrong that time.
I've never found it easy to forgive and forget (= to behave as if something wrong had never happened).
I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to the kids.
forgive me B2 formal
used before you ask or say something that might seem rude:
Forgive me for asking, but how much did you pay for your bag?
More examples
- "Please, please forgive me!" she begged (him).
- Don't worry. He forgives people very easily.
- She could not forgive his many infidelities.
- He still hasn't forgiven me for what I did.
- He forgave his brother for breaking the window.
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 »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Polite expressions
forgive a loan/debt
to say that money does not have to be paid back:
The new program would forgive state loans to new graduates who teach in Nebraska.