What does penance mean?
Penance means A voluntary self-imposed punishment for a sinful act or wrongdoing. It may be intended to serve as reparation for the act..
Penance
/ˈpɛn.əns/ · noun
Meaning
A voluntary self-imposed punishment for a sinful act or wrongdoing. It may be intended to serve as reparation for the act..
Definitions by Sense
- 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.
- (obsolete) repentance
- (obsolete) pain; sorrow; suffering
- To impose penance; to punish.
Example Sentences
Quoth he, "The man hath penance done, / And penance more will do."
She seem'd, at once, some penanced lady elf, / Some demon mistress, or the demon's self.
Synonyms for penance
Antonyms for penance
Related Words
Word Forms
- penances
- penancing
- penanced
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for penance?
Common synonyms include penitence, atonement, castigate, penalize.
What is the opposite of penance?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use penance in a sentence?
Quoth he, "The man hath penance done, / And penance more will do."
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.