verb
atone
uh-TOHN
verb
1
To make amends for a wrongdoing or mistake.
"He spent years trying to atone for his youthful mistakes."
"She volunteered at the shelter to atone for her earlier neglect."
How to Use Atone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make up for something wrong you did, usually through actions rather than just words.
Common pairings
atone for a sin
atone for a mistake
Word Forms
atoned past tense, atones singular
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He spent years trying to _____ for his youthful mistakes.
Etymology
From Middle English atone, literally "at one" — to bring into agreement or unity, later coming to mean making amends.