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Since some folks don't condone even minor usage slips, you might want to get the meaning of this word straight. Although English speakers sometimes use condone with the intended meaning "approve of" or "encourage," the more established meaning is closer to "pardon" or "overlook." Condone comes from the Latin verb condonare, which means "to absolve." Condonare in turn combines the Latin prefix con-, indicating thoroughness, and donare, meaning "to give" or "to grant." Not surprisingly, donare is also the source of our words donate and pardon.
Synonyms
Examples of condone in a Sentence
Joshua Levine, Forbes, 21 Apr. 1997
Without waiting for Momma's thanks, he rode out of the yard, sure that things were as they should be and that he was a gentle squire, saving those deserving serfs from the laws of the land, which he condoned.
—Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
And then she told him all—told him the truth word by word, without attempting to shield herself or condone her error.
—Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1912
a government that has been accused of condoning racism
he is too quick to condone his friend's faults
Britt Clennett, ABC News, 20 Nov. 2024
In a statement to Fortune, Trump campaign senior advisor Danielle Alvarez said the candidate does not condone the offensive remarks about Puerto Rico.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2024
Conversely, destructive behavior proliferates in communities that condone it.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2024
Though some individuals did not condone certain social media posts, including the cartoon, there is a concern that Grierson’s decision has contributed to silencing a vocal advocate for the Palestinian cause.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Condone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condone. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
condone
verb
Legal Definition
Latin condonare to give away, absolve
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