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Since some folks don't condone even minor usage slips, you might want to get the meaning of this word straight. Although English speakers sometimes use condone with the intended meaning "approve of" or "encourage," the more established meaning is closer to "pardon" or "overlook." Condone comes from the Latin verb condonare, which means "to absolve." Condonare in turn combines the Latin prefix con-, indicating thoroughness, and donare, meaning "to give" or "to grant." Not surprisingly, donare is also the source of our words donate and pardon.
Synonyms
Examples of condone in a Sentence
Joshua Levine, Forbes, 21 Apr. 1997
Without waiting for Momma's thanks, he rode out of the yard, sure that things were as they should be and that he was a gentle squire, saving those deserving serfs from the laws of the land, which he condoned.
—Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
And then she told him all—told him the truth word by word, without attempting to shield herself or condone her error.
—Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1912
a government that has been accused of condoning racism
he is too quick to condone his friend's faults
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in the immunity case condoned Trump’s use of the Justice Department for his own ends, concluding his pressure campaign at DOJ is off limits from prosecutors in Smith’s Jan. 6 case.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 2 Nov. 2024
The court’s ruling grants cities the authority to prohibit individuals from sleeping and camping in public spaces, effectively condoning the use of fines and bans to address rising rates of homelessness.
—Ishita Chordia, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2024
There is no sacred scripture that condones the deaths of innocent people.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 6 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Condone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condone. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
condone
verb
Legal Definition
Latin condonare to give away, absolve
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