penance

Plural: penances

Noun

• remorse for your past conduct
• a Catholic sacrament; repentance and confession and atonement and absolution
• voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing
• A voluntary self-imposed punishment for a sinful act or wrongdoing. It may be intended to serve as reparation for the act.
• A sacrament in some Christian churches that involves penitence (remorse plus restitution via prayer).
• Any instrument of self-punishment.
• repentance
• pain; sorrow; suffering

Verb

Verb Forms: penanced, penancing, penances

• To impose an act of self-punishment for a sin or wrongdoing.
• To impose penance; to punish.

Examples

• After missing a triple-word opportunity, he felt he should PENANCE himself by re-shuffling.

Synonyms

penitence, repentance, self-abasement, self-mortification, atonement

Anagrams of penance