# penance

/ˈpɛnəns/ (US) · /pˈɛnəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/penance
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. self-punishment for wrongdoing

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

something you do to show you are sorry for a mistake or a bad action.

For teachers: a voluntary self-imposed punishment or act of reparation for a sinful act or wrongdoing.

- He worked at the homeless shelter for a month as penance for his rude behavior.
- The disgraced executive performed a public penance by donating his entire bonus to the charities he had previously defrauded.

Usage: Often used with the verb 'do' or 'perform'.

### 2. religious sacrament

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a religious ceremony where you admit your sins and ask for forgiveness.

For teachers: a sacrament in certain Christian denominations involving contrition, confession to a priest, and the performance of assigned acts of devotion.

- The priest told him to say ten prayers as his penance after confession.
- In many liturgical traditions, the sacrament of penance is considered essential for the restoration of grace after a serious transgression.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the sacrament itself; countable when referring to the specific task assigned.

### 3. to punish

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

to give someone a punishment to make them show they are sorry.

For teachers: to impose a penance upon someone; to subject an individual to a task intended to show repentance.

- The monk was penanced with a week of silence for breaking the rules.
- The historical records show that the bishop penanced the knight by ordering him to walk barefoot to the cathedral.

Usage: Usually occurs in the passive voice.

## Examples

- He cleaned the entire house as penance for his rudeness.
- The priest suggested a week of community service as a form of penance for the young man's actions.
- In many historical traditions, public penance was required to demonstrate a sincere change of heart and to restore the individual's standing within the community.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.