noun
penance
PEHN-uhns
noun
1
A voluntary act of self-punishment or atonement carried out to make up for wrongdoing.
"He did penance for years, quietly trying to make amends."
2
In some Christian traditions, a religious ritual of confession, repentance, and reparation.
"The priest assigned her a set of prayers as penance."
How to Use Penance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn act taken to make up for having done wrong, often used in a religious sense.
Common pairings
do penance
penance for one's sins
Word Forms
penanced past tense, penances plural, penances singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “penance”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He did _____ for years, quietly trying to make amends.
Etymology
From Old French peneance, from Latin paenitentia ("repentance"); a close relative of the word "penitence."