Word
apology
Phoneticsapol·o·gy
US/əˈpɑɫəˌdʒi/
UK/ɐpˈɒlədʒi/
Definitions
01saying sorry
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a statement that you are sorry for hurting someone or making a mistake.
n. an expression of remorse or regret for a perceived fault, injury, or insult.
日本語:謝罪※
Español:disculpa
“He sent a sincere apology to his colleague after missing the deadline.”
“The CEO issued a public apology to the shareholders, acknowledging that the company's recent communication had been misleading.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'offer', 'make', 'issue', or 'accept'.
Pitfall
I made an apology for him.
I offered an apology to him.
You offer or make an apology 'to' a person, not 'for' them, unless you are apologizing on their behalf.
Antonyms
02formal defence
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Religion Formal · Academic
n. a formal written or spoken defence of a belief or an idea.
n. a formal justification or systematic defence of a religious doctrine, political theory, or philosophical position.
日本語:弁明※
“The philosopher wrote a famous apology for his controversial views on society.”
“The text serves as a sophisticated apology for the movement's core tenets, addressing critics with rigorous logical arguments.”
Usage
Often appears in the titles of historical or theological works.
Synonyms
03poor substitute
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · British English
n. something that is a very poor or low-quality example of what it should be.
n. a makeshift or inferior substitute for something; a poor representation of a particular category.
“The thin soup was a poor apology for a proper meal.”
“The drafty wooden shack was a miserable apology for a house, offering little protection against the winter gales.”
Teaching tip
Usually used in the phrase 'a poor apology for' or 'a miserable apology for' to show strong disappointment.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “apology” in context.
Verb
01. accept an apology
“After a long discussion, she finally decided to accept his apology and move on.”
verb + noun
02. demand an apology
“The protesters are demanding a public apology from the mayor for his recent comments.”
verb + noun
03. offer an apology
“The company decided to offer a formal apology to the customers affected by the delay.”
verb + noun
04. owe someone an apology
“I think I owe you an apology for being so rude to you yesterday.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. profuse apology
“He made profuse apologies for arriving late to the wedding ceremony.”
adj + noun
06. sincere apology
“Please accept my sincere apology for any inconvenience this mistake has caused.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. apology for
“The manager issued a written apology for the poor service at the restaurant.”
noun + prep
08. by way of apology
“He bought her a bouquet of flowers by way of apology for forgetting their anniversary.”
prep + noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Coral lost the case and was ordered to issue a public apology.” “My apologies to you, dear reader, if you’ve never spotted it, but if you hadn’t, I bet you will now.” Etymology
From French apologie, from Late Latin apologia, from Ancient Greek ἀπολογία (apología, “a speech in defence”), from ἀπολογοῦμαι (apologoûmai, “I speak in my defense”), from ἀπόλογος (apólogos, “an account, story”), from ἀπό (apó, “from, off”) (see apo-) + λόγος (lógos, “speech”). Doublet of apologia. By surface analysis, apo- + -logy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/apology
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0