penance
pe
ˈpɛ
pe
nance
nəns
nēns
British pronunciation
/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

example
Examples
The priest gave him a penance of praying the rosary daily for a month.
She performed penance by fasting and donating to the poor.
02

a feeling of regret for one's past actions

example
Examples
She felt deep penance for betraying her friend's trust and wanted to make amends.
His penance was evident in the way he tried to rectify his past actions through selfless deeds.
03

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

example
Examples
As penance for his mistake, he volunteered at the shelter every weekend for a month.
He viewed his long hours of community service as penance for the harm he had caused.
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