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Definition of "contrition" [con•tri•tion]

  • Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance. See Synonyms at penitence. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "contrition" in a sentence
  • "'By that account,' said Lady Anne, 'which I believe to be just, her contrition is always ten times as great as her offence.'"
  • "BTW, "contrition" is precisely what rankles for most of the naysayers."
  • "The expression of contrition from Mr. Shimizu came a day after the Japanese government raised its assessment of the nuclear crisis to 7, the highest on an international scale, from 5."