apologize

verb

(intransitive, often followed by “for”) To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends

(intransitive) To express regret that a certain event has occurred.

(intransitive, dated) To make an apologia or defense; to act as apologist.

Roots

apoapo- · Greek · away from logos-log · Greek · word, reason

Synonyms for apologize

excusen repentv justifyv

Synonyms & related words for apologize

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of apologize — including excuse, repent, justify. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to apologize

Explore words related to apologize — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include apologies, excusatory, sorry, apologetically, apologetic, nonapologetic, forgive, sorriness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for apologize

Common synonyms for apologize include excuse, repent, justify — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does apologize come from?

The word apologize breaks down into 2 roots of Greek origin: apo-, from Greek apo (“away from”); and -log, from Greek logos (“word, reason”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.