forgiving

adjective

for·​giv·​ing fər-ˈgi-viŋ How to pronounce forgiving (audio)
fȯr-
1
: willing or able to forgive
2
: allowing room for error or weakness
designed to be a forgiving tennis racquet
forgivingly adverb
forgivingness noun

Examples of forgiving in a Sentence

a person with a forgiving nature
Recent Examples on the Web But a Ukrainian commander, who went by the call sign Chef, was far more forgiving. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 But now, automakers must reach normal drivers, who will be less patient, and less forgiving, in adapting to a new kind of car—much less paying a premium for the privilege. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2024 The digital world has changed everything, but the eye is much more forgiving. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024 Airlines try to be pretty forgiving when things go sideways. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2024 For his part, Elgort was a bit more forgiving and sympathetic of Jake’s decision, attributing it to loneliness and a desire to connect with someone following the fallout of his relationship with Samantha Porter, played by Rachel Keller. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024 The curriculum starts things off being more forgiving and gradually increasing the penalties to emphasize robustness and reliability. IEEE Spectrum, 8 Feb. 2024 Made from a soft and forgiving blend of viscose and nylon, this stretchy set can easily be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, not to mention that both pieces can be styled separately to maximize your wardrobe options. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2024 Pro sports is a wonderful place, but not a particularly forgiving place to work. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forgiving.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forgiving was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near forgiving

Cite this Entry

“Forgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgiving. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forgiving

adjective
for·​giv·​ing
fər-ˈgiv-iŋ,
fȯr-
1
: showing forgiveness : inclined or ready to forgive
a person with a forgiving nature
2
: allowing for human error or weakness
a tennis racket designed to be forgiving
forgivingly adverb
forgivingness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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