An apology is a formal statement expressing regret for a fault or offense, accompanied by a request for forgiveness. It acknowledges responsibility, seeks to repair harm, and often aims to restore good will. In everyday use, it ranges from a brief, sincere admission to a more elaborate explanation of actions and intent.
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"She offered a sincere apology after realizing her mistake."
"The manager made a public apology for the service disruption."
"He muttered an awkward apology and stepped away."
"She accepted his apology and moved on with the conversation."
The word apology traces to the Old French apologie, from Latin apologus, formed from Greek apologos meaning ‘a speech in defense’ (apo- ‘away’ + logia ‘speaking’). In Classical rhetoric, an apologia was a formal defense of one's actions or beliefs. By Middle English, apology shifted toward expressing regret for a fault or offense, influenced by the sense of a formal defense turning toward contrition. The modern sense converges on both acknowledging error and seeking forgiveness, while retaining the notion of making amends. The first known use in English appeared in the 14th century, initially in religious or formal contexts, and by the 17th–19th centuries it had broadened to everyday admissions of fault. Today, apology is a common, versatile term used across personal, professional, and public domains, often paired with acts of repair or restitution.
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Help others use "apology" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "apology" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "apology" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "apology"
-ogy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /əˈpɒ.lə.dʒi/ (UK) or /əˈpɑː.lə.dʒi/ (US). The stress falls on the second syllable: a-PO-lo-gy. Start with a schwa (uh), then the rounded back /ɒ/ or open /ɑː/ in US, followed by a light /lə/ and ending with the /dʒi/ as in 'gee.' Mouth positions: lips relaxed for the schwa, then slight rounding for /ɒ/ (UK) or open /ɑː/ (US), tongue high-mid for /l/, and a voiced palato-alveolar affricate /dʒ/ with a short /i/ vowel at the end. Listening reference: you’ll hear this in standard pronunciation resources and audio dictionaries.
Common errors: treating the second syllable as ‘AH-pol-uh-jee’ with weak stress or misplacing the /dʒ/ as /ʒ/; pronouncing the final -gy as /gi/ instead of /dʒi/; misplacing the schwa as a full vowel in the first syllable. Correction: keep stress on the second syllable (a-PO-luh-jee), ensure the /dʒ/ is a palato-alveolar affricate, and use a centralized or reduced schwa in the first syllable rather than a full vowel. Practice with slow, exaggerated sounds, then smoothly integrate.
US: /əˈpɑː.lə.dʒi/ with a broad /ɑː/ in the second syllable and rhotic influence on the first vowel. UK: /əˈpɒ.lə.dʒi/ using /ɒ/ (short o) and less rhotic influence. AU: typically /əˈpɒ.lə.dʒi/ similar to UK, but vowel quality can lean toward a slightly flatter /ɒ/ and more clipped rhythm. The final /i/ tends to be a clear vowel in all, with slight length variations. Keep the /dʒ/ as a single sound in all dialects.
Two main challenges: the medial /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel can be unfamiliar for non-native speakers, and the /dʒ/ sound in English can be tricky when it follows a syllable ending in a glottal stop or a lighter schwa. Also, the multi-syllabic rhythm with stress on the second syllable can cause misplacement. Focus on the clean /dʒ/ and a precise second syllable vowel to avoid mispronunciations.
A unique aspect is the combination of a reduced initial syllable with a strong, stressed second syllable (a-PO-lo-gy), creating a marked iambic rhythm in many dialects. Ensure the mid vowel in the second syllable is compact, not elongated, to create the natural English flow. Also, the final /i/ is unstressed but clear, often realized as /i/ rather than a reduced vowel.
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