forgive

About 8.76 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To pardon (someone); to waive any negative feeling towards or desire for punishment or retribution against.

   Please forgive me if my phone goes off - I'm expecting an urgent call from my boss.

2. verb To pardon (something); to waive any negative feeling over or retribution for.
3. verb To waive or remit (a debt), to absolve from payment or compensation of.

   Forgive a debt, that is, tell a debtor that a repayment of a loan is no longer needed.

4. verb To accord forgiveness.
5. verb To look past; to look beyond.

   The music critic loves the instrumentation of the song so much that he can forgive the confusing lyrics.

6. verb To redeem; to offset the bad effects of something.

Similar words

pardoned excuse condone forgiveness pardon apologize sorry tolerate waive forbid

Often followed by

me him you the us them her my and

Word family

forgave forgave and forgot forgivable forgivably forgive and forget forgiven forgiven and forgotten forgiver forgivers forgives