condone

verb

kən-ˈdōn How to pronounce condone (audio)
Definition of condonenext
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance he is too quick to condone his friend's faults

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb condone differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of condone are excuse, forgive, and pardon. While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

When would excuse be a good substitute for condone?

The words excuse and condone are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

excuse an interruption
excused them for interrupting
injustice excuses strong responses

When is forgive a more appropriate choice than condone?

Although the words forgive and condone have much in common, forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

could not forgive their rudeness

When can pardon be used instead of condone?

The synonyms pardon and condone are sometimes interchangeable, but pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

pardon a criminal

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of condone For decades, Hezbollah’s arsenal had been tolerated, even tacitly condoned—shielded by the group’s political power and by its status among supporters as a counterweight to Israel. — Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026 The suit also asserts that DHS, ICE and CBP maintain policies and practices that tolerate and condone the use of excessive force. — City News Service, Daily News, 22 May 2026 There are passages in the Hebrew Bible that glorify or seem to condone mass killing, destruction of whole cities, male domination of women, even slavery. — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 Few would condone taking their neighbor’s jewelry to cover a credit card debt. — Robertas Bakula, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for condone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for condone
  1. ignore
  2. forgive
  3. overlook
  4. justify
  5. explain
  6. excuse
Verb
  • The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Alicia McCalla, 56, a fiction writer who has been doing voice work for five years out of her home in Atlanta, decided to ignore union suggestions and clone her voice.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • None of this is irreversible, which is precisely why the CDC’s complacency is so hard to forgive.
    — A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Financial institutions and community partners may also provide down payment assistance programs, including opportunities that can be partially or fully forgiven over time.
    — Patricia Mason, Hartford Courant, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • Log temples atop the mounds overlooked wide plazas for ball games, ceremonies, and open-air markets.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • For a luxury upgrade, consider the One&Only Cape Town, Cape Town’s premier urban resort with a bar and lounge that directly overlooks Table Mountain.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • The government may not decide that Church teaching is insufficiently religious, insufficiently consistent with Catholic doctrine, or insufficiently compelling to justify an ecclesiastical policy.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Organizers of Tuesday's rally said the women were released from ICE detention after a judge granted their habeas corpus petitions, meaning the government was required to justify their continued detention.
    — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • One of the questions, directed to David Hunt, director of finance for Entergy Arkansas, asks him to explain the reasoning for the classification of the payments.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • State lawmakers passed legislation this summer to require school principals to excuse student absences related to private, off-campus religious instruction programs.
    — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The abuse of women and girls has long been ignored, excused, protected and even turned into profit.
    — Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of excuse

Browse Nearby Words

condonations
condone
condoned
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Cite this Entry

“Condone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/condone. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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