penance
pe
ˈpɛ
pe
nance
nəns
nēns
/pˈɛnəns/

Definition & Meaning of "penance"in English

Penance
01

a punishment imposed by a priest or oneself in order to express regret for the sins committed

Examples
The priest gave him a penance of praying the rosary daily for a month.
02

a feeling of regret for one's past actions

Examples
She felt deep penance for betraying her friend's trust and wanted to make amends.
03

voluntary suffering or inconvenience accepted as an apology or to make amends

Examples
As penance for his mistake, he volunteered at the shelter every weekend for a month.
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