apology
noun
Simple meaning
An expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhpahluhjeeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
əˈpɑlədʒi
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
An expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
“He wrote a letter of apology to the hostess.”
An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry).
Anything provided as a substitute; a makeshift.
A formal justification, defence.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: An expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
Used this way, apology is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He wrote a letter of apology to the hostess.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “apology to …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: apology to …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use apology
- “He wrote a letter of apology to the hostess.”noun
- “It was an apology for a meal.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Looking for a more precise alternative? “apology” can mean several things.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.