as in to compensate
to make up for (an offense) Yom Kippur is the holy day on which Jews are expected to expiate sins committed during the past year

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expiate The Sisters have come a long way, but never strayed from their mission: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2023 But now Epstein, 49, is wearing a different hat, and hoping to expiate his unintended sins against a sport that has been his lifelong passion. David Axelrod, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023 In the former category are Ani (Katy Sullivan), who lost her legs in a car accident, and her ex-husband Eddie (David Zayas), a good-natured, unemployed truck driver who insists on caring for Ani, possibly to expiate his guilt over cheating on her when they were married. Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2022 Only the brilliant Richard Fleischer–Norman Wexler Mandingo in 1975 would expiate that consciousness. Armond White, National Review, 27 Apr. 2022 In 17th-century Austria, wooden pillars were erected for the self-mortifying convenience of the flagellants who roamed Europe, whipping themselves to expiate whatever sins had brought on the Black Death. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 15 Mar. 2021 Ridding oneself of guilt is often easier than overcoming shame, in part because our society offers many ways to expiate guilt-inducing offenses, including apologizing, paying fines, and serving jail time. Annette Kämmerer, Scientific American, 9 Aug. 2019 Anyone who’s familiar with the world of competitive cycling knows that, for some athletes, the sport is a means of escaping, or salving, or expiating, tremendous inner pain. Bill Gifford, Outside Online, 24 July 2019 Perhaps, but as Chief Justice John Roberts notes in his persuasive dissent, there’s no crisis that now compels the Court to expiate a long-ago mistake that Congress has the power to fix. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 21 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expiate
Verb
  • The equalizer and presets included in the DTS:X app cannot compensate for these shortcomings.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 10 Feb. 2025
  • The latter will force scientists to compensate by spending even more of their time writing grants rather than pursuing research.
    John Timmer, Ars Technica, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Milk caps can be redeemed for 5 cents each through a Kemps promotion.
    Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
  • The company issued $2.4 billion in senior notes during the year and redeemed $1 billion of its 6.875% Senior Notes due 2025.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Originally Published: February 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM EST Most Popular Most Popular Former Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ordered to repay $2M business loan Maryland malls are evolving.
    Carson Swick, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2025
  • But when the associate failed to repay the drug debt, the suppliers turned their focus on Resto, seeking retribution for the unpaid money, prosecutors charge.
    Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Editor’s note: Bob Stark’s title has been corrected to global head of enablement. Send me a secure tip.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The DoJ has now corrected the error in subsequent legal filings.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expiate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

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