condone
verb
Did you know?
If you're among folks who don't condone even what they consider minor usage slips, you might want to hew to the more established meaning of condone. Although English speakers sometimes use condone to mean "encourage" or "approve of" (as in "officials accused of condoning corruption"), some people feel strongly that it should only mean something closer to "pardon" or "overlook." Condone comes from the Latin verb condonare, which means "to absolve." Condonare in turn combines the Latin prefix com-, indicating thoroughness, and donare, meaning "to give." Not surprisingly, donare is also the source of our words donate and pardon.
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
Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
The negative extremes should never be condoned, but sometimes being told — in the right way, and by the coaches, not irate parents — that attitudes are not right could help stop the slide.
—Laura Williamson, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Thus, OKing vaccines may inadvertently embolden individuals to make further changes and cajole co-religionists to condone those changes for the whole group.
—Cory Anderson, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
When will the district and the board stop condoning this kind of behavior?
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for condone
Cite this Entry
“Condone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condone. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
condone
verb
Legal Definition
condone
transitive verb
Latin condonare to give away, absolve
