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penance

NounTransitive Verb

Meanings

Noun

An act of self-punishment or a voluntary hardship performed to show repentance for a wrongdoing.

"He spent a week in fasting and prayer as penance for his sins."

Noun

The formal act of confessing sins and receiving a prescribed punishment or task to achieve spiritual forgiveness, particularly in the Catholic Church.

"The priest assigned a specific penance to the penitent after the confession."

Transitive Verb
[~ something]

To perform an act of atonement or self-punishment to make up for a specific mistake or crime.

"She sought to penance her errors by volunteering at the shelter for a year."

Last Updated: June 13, 2026Report an Error