Dictionary › A › apologize
apologize
4 syllablesYour browser doesn’t have built-in voices. Try Chrome, Edge or Safari.
As a verb, apologize means make an apology or excuse.
Meanings of apologize
5 meaningsverb
often followed by “for”To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends
“My correspondent apologized for not answering my letter.”
To express regret that a certain event has occurred.
Acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing
“I apologized for being late”
“He apologized for the many typos”
Similar: apologiseDefend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
“rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior”
“he rationalized his lack of success”
Similar: apologise, excuse, rationalize, rationalise
Older and rare meanings (1)
datedTo make an apologia or defense; to act as apologist.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).