apologize
gb/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz/ us/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Say you are sorry
To say you are sorry for something bad you did or said.
Usage pattern:
to apologize [to someone] [for something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'apologize' with 'excuse' or 'pardon', which can have different uses. Also, 'apologize' is a verb, so 'make an apologize' is incorrect; it should be 'make an apology' or simply 'apologize'.
Synonyms
say sorry (More informal and conversational than 'apologize'.)
|
express regret (Slightly more formal; focuses on the feeling rather than the act of saying it.)
Antonyms
refuse to apologize (Direct opposite action—declining to express regret despite wrongdoing.)
|
accuse (Instead of admitting fault, placing blame on someone else.)
Collocations
formally apologize
|publicly apologize
|apologize profusely
|apologize sincerely
|apologize personally
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|communication
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She apologized to her friend for arriving late.
- The company apologized publicly for the error in billing.
- I must apologize for my earlier comments—they were out of line.
- He apologized sincerely after realizing his mistake.
- The politician apologized to the voters for breaking his promise.
Learner examples
- I apologize for being late.
- She apologized to her teacher for not doing homework.
- We apologized to them for the noise.
- He apologized for the bad service.
- They apologized to me for the mistake.
Grammar
Dictionary form
apologize
IPA
GB/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz/
US/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz/
Syllables & stress
apo - lo - gize (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lo)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: apologize
- Variant Spelling: apologise
- 3rd Person Singular: apologizes
- Present Participle: apologizing
- Past: apologized
Word family
Forms
Core family
apology
noun A2
apologetic
adjective
Related words
apologetically
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unapologetic
adjective
unapologetically
adverb
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: apologise Verb
Expressions
apologize in advance
1/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz ˈɪn ədvˈæns/
fixed phrase
Say sorry beforehand
To say you are sorry before doing something that might upset or bother someone.
Examples
- I apologize in advance if my kids make too much noise tonight.
- We apologize in advance for any delays due to weather conditions.
apologize profusely
1/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz pɹəfjˈusli/
fixed phrase
Say sorry repeatedly and strongly
To say you are very sorry many times or in a very strong way.
Examples
- He apologized profusely for forgetting her birthday.
- They apologized profusely after spilling coffee on the tablecloth.
apologize sincerely
1/əpˈɑləd͡ʒˌaɪz sɪnsˈɪɹli/
fixed phrase
Say sorry genuinely
To say you are sorry in a way that shows you really mean it.
Examples
- She apologized sincerely for her rude behavior.
- I want to apologize sincerely for the misunderstanding.