apology

apology — noun

1. what you say or write to tell someone that you feel bad about hurting them or ab

1.nounB1
Definition

what you say or write to tell someone that you feel bad about hurting them or about a mistake you made.

Example

Wen wrote his teacher a long apology for cheating on the math test.

apology for + -ing

Otto owes her sister an apology after breaking her favorite mug.

owe someone an apology

Common collocations
  • sincere apology
  • public apology
  • formal apology
  • owe an apology
  • demand an apology
Synonyms
  • sorry

    the spoken word itself; 'apology' is the formal noun for the act

  • regret

    stronger inner feeling; an apology expresses regret outwardly

  • excuse

    a reason given to defend yourself; an apology admits fault

Grammar Patterns

apology to + person

apology for + noun/-ing

Usage Note

Often paired with verbs make / offer / accept / owe / demand. The thing you are sorry for follows 'for'; the person you are sorry to follows 'to'.

Common Mistakes

I gave an apology to him about my mistake.
I gave him an apology for my mistake.
use 'for' (not 'about') before the thing you regret.
She made apology for being late.
She made an apology for being late.
countable here, so it needs 'an' or 'the'.

2. a polite message, usually in the plural, that you send to say you cannot come to

2.nounB2
Definition

a polite message, usually in the plural, that you send to say you cannot come to a meeting, party, or event.

Example

Three board members sent their apologies before the Friday meeting began.

send one's apologies (plural)

Please pass on my apologies to the bride; my flight was cancelled.

pass on apologies + to person

Common collocations
  • send apologies
  • pass on apologies
  • apologies received
  • with apologies from
Synonyms
  • regrets

    interchangeable in formal invitations: 'send one's regrets'

  • excuses

    more general; can sound dismissive, while 'apologies' is polite

Grammar Patterns

send/give one's apologies

apologies for + -ing

Usage Note

Almost always plural in this sense and typical of meetings, weddings, and formal events. Distinguish from sense 1: here, no fault is being admitted; the speaker is simply unable to attend.

Common Mistakes

I send my apology to the meeting tomorrow.
I send my apologies to the meeting tomorrow.
this sense uses the plural form.

3. a piece of writing or a speech that argues in favour of an idea, faith, or syste

3.nounC1
Definition

a piece of writing or a speech that argues in favour of an idea, faith, or system that other people often attack.

Example

Plato's text 'Apology' presents Socrates' defence at his trial in Athens.

title use: 'an apology for'

The pamphlet was a passionate apology for free public libraries.

apology for + cause

Common collocations
  • apology for + belief/system
  • written apology
  • passionate apology
Synonyms
  • defence

    the everyday word; 'apology' here is more scholarly

  • vindication

    stresses proving something right; an apology argues the case

  • justification

    neutral; an apology often answers public criticism

Antonyms
  • attack

    a piece arguing against the same belief

  • critique

    a balanced or negative analysis, not a defence

Grammar Patterns

apology for + noun

Usage Note

Academic and literary register, often in titles of essays or books. Unlike sense 1, no regret is involved; the writer is defending, not apologising. Cue: this sense is followed by 'for' + a belief or cause, not a wrongdoing.

Common Mistakes

His apology for capitalism was very emotional.' (read as 'said sorry')
Add context: 'His written apology
a passionate defence of capitalism — was very emotional.' — readers will guess sense 1 unless the defending context is clear.
Idioms

make no apology / apologies for something

idiom

to say firmly that you do not feel bad about something you did, because you believe it was the right thing.

The mayor made no apology for closing the road during the parade.

I make no apologies for telling the children the truth about their grandfather.

make no apology/apologies for something

idiom

To show that you believe your action or opinion was correct and you do not regret it.

The mayor made no apology for raising taxes to improve schools.

Sara made no apologies for her strong opinions during the debate.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words deal with admitting that something went wrong, but they sit at different points on a politeness and responsibility scale. 'Apology' is the formal noun for the whole act of saying you were wrong, and it usually accepts blame: 'a sincere apology'. 'Excuse' shifts the focus the other way — it is a reason given to lessen blame, and can sound defensive: 'Don't make excuses; just say sorry.' 'Regret' names the inner feeling of wishing you had not done something, with no public statement required: 'She lived with deep regret.' 'Sorry' is the most everyday word, said directly to a person: 'I'm sorry I'm late.' Use 'apology' when the act is formal, written, or public; use 'sorry' for spoken, in-the-moment moments.

apology ↗excuse ↗regret ↗sorry ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • apology letter
  • apology email

Phrases

  • accept an apology
  • demand an apology
  • owe someone an apology
  • issue an apology
  • without apology

Prepositions

  • apology for
  • apology to
  • apology from

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Reached English in the late 1500s through French 'apologie' from Latin 'apologia', borrowed from Greek 'apologia' meaning 'a speech in defence' (apo- 'away' + logos 'speech'). The original sense was the courtroom one — defending an idea or person against attack — which survives in titles like Plato's 'Apology'. The modern 'saying sorry' meaning grew during the 1700s as people used the word for explanations of personal behaviour, then for full admissions of fault.