apology
gb/əpˈɑləd͡ʒi/ us/əpˈɑləd͡ʒi/
A2
English
~ 5900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
statement saying you are sorry
A sentence or message where you say you are sorry for something wrong you did or for a problem you caused.
Usage pattern:
to make an apology to [someone] for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"say an apology"* or *"do an apology"*, but natural English uses *"make an apology"*, *"offer an apology"*, or simply the verb *"apologize"* (e.g., *"I apologize"*). Another common mistake is forgetting the article: you usually say *"an apology"* in the singular (e.g., *"I owe you an apology"*, not *"I owe you apology"*). Learners also confuse *"apology"* (noun) with *"apologize"* (verb).
Synonyms
regret (Focuses more on the feeling of sadness about what happened, not the spoken or written statement itself.)
|
sorry (Commonly used in speech as an adjective or exclamation; less formal than making an apology.)
Antonyms
defiance (Shows refusal to admit fault or to say sorry, the opposite attitude of giving an apology.)
Collocations
make an apology
|offer an apology
|issue an apology
|a formal apology
|a sincere apology
|demand an apology
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|communication
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He made a public apology after his comments offended many viewers.
- I owe you an apology for not calling you back yesterday.
- The company issued a formal apology for the data breach.
- She sent a handwritten apology to her neighbor for the noise.
- Instead of an apology, he tried to blame everyone else.
Learner examples
- I must give you an apology for being late.
- She wrote an apology to her teacher.
- The manager made an apology to the customers.
- He refused to make an apology for his mistake.
- They accepted his apology after he explained.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
2
formal defense of an idea
A serious speech or text that tries to protect or support an idea, person, or system when other people say it is bad.
Usage pattern:
an apology for [an idea/person/system]
Common mistake:
Learners may wrongly connect this meaning with saying sorry. In this sense, *"apology"* does NOT mean regret; it means a defense or support of something. It is not used with verbs like *"make"* or *"offer"* in the "say sorry" sense, but appears in phrases like *"an apology for capitalism"*.
Synonyms
defense (Broad term; often less literary and can be used in many legal or everyday contexts, not just in formal argument.)
|
justification (Stresses giving reasons why something is acceptable or right, rather than simply protecting it from attack.)
Antonyms
condemnation (An expression or argument that strongly says something is wrong or bad, the opposite of defending it.)
Collocations
an apology for slavery
|an apology for dictatorship
|an apology for colonialism
|a political apology
|a philosophical apology
Themes
politics
|philosophy
|religion
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The book is essentially an apology for free‑market capitalism.
- Critics called his speech a thinly veiled apology for authoritarian rule.
- Her essay reads like an apology for the surveillance state.
- Many saw the film as an apology for war rather than a neutral portrait of history.
Learner examples
- The article is an apology for the new law.
- Some people think the movie is an apology for violence.
- His long speech was an apology for his party's policy.
- The writer gives a strong apology for free trade.
Noun
literary
C1
entity
3
very weak or poor example
A thing that is so bad or so small that it is almost not that kind of thing at all.
Usage pattern:
an apology for a [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners often try to understand *"apology"* here as someone saying sorry. In this sense, it is an idiomatic, critical way to say something is very poor or almost not real. It is usually used in the pattern *"an apology for a/an [noun]"* and is not about expressing regret.
Synonyms
excuse (In this sense, suggests something so inadequate that it is hardly what it claims to be, similar critical tone.)
|
travesty (Stronger and more emotional; suggests something is not just poor but a distorted version of what it should be.)
Antonyms
model (A very good example that could be copied, the opposite of a pitiful example.)
Collocations
an apology for a meal
|an apology for a garden
|a poor apology for a
|a miserable apology for a
|a sorry apology for a
Themes
evaluation
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They served us an apology for a meal that left everyone hungry.
- The so‑called park was an apology for a garden, with only a few dying plants.
- His apology for a speech lasted two minutes and said almost nothing.
- The village had an apology for a school, with broken windows and no books.
Learner examples
- The cake was an apology for a birthday party.
- This tiny room is an apology for an office.
- The team gave an apology for a performance and lost 5–0.
- The town has an apology for a bus station with only one bench.
Grammar
Dictionary form
apology
IPA
GB/əpˈɑləd͡ʒi/
US/əpˈɑləd͡ʒi/
Syllables & stress
apo - logy (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (logy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: apology
- Plural: apologies
Word family
Expressions
apology accepted
1/əpˈɑləd͡ʒi æksˈɛptɪd/
fixed phrase
saying you accept an apology
A short answer you say when you want to show that you accept someone's apology.
Examples
- "I'm really sorry for the confusion." "Apology accepted. Let's move on."
- She sent a long email explaining everything, and he replied, "Apology accepted."
- "Apology accepted," he said, but he still sounded a little upset.
I owe you an apology
1/ˈaɪ ˈoʊ jˈu ən əpˈɑləd͡ʒi/
fixed phrase
admitting you should apologize
A polite way to say that you should apologize to someone for something you did.
Examples
- I owe you an apology for what I said yesterday.
- I think I owe you an apology for arriving so late.
- I owe you an apology; I should not have shouted at you.