pardonable

adjective

ˈpärd-nə-bəl How to pronounce pardonable (audio)
Definition of pardonablenext
as in excusable
worthy of forgiveness the new parents' gushing pride was pardonable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pardonable But in this instance, the breach is entirely pardonable, because these two men, Jun and Arthur, have just gotten married. — Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025 All this is to say that any excesses of enthusiasm for Friday (and Thursday) might seem pardonable, although each day reached the thermal pinnacle of the 80s. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, 19 July 2024 According to Cohen, because misdemeanor possession of marijuana is now a pardonable offense, Department of Justice guidelines would not permit a plea to that effect. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 What happened, then, was surely a result of a pardonable misunderstanding. — New York Times, 11 Feb. 2020 In this case, to be fair, the length is a pardonable fault, for there is plenty here on which to feast. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2019 However, no one went hungry, and after a wholly pardonable delay all were accommodated. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2019 But now, without any provocation, and without the justification of reprisal or retaliation, a refusal to outlaw the use of the bomb save in reprisal is making a political purpose of its possession; this is hardly pardonable. — Rosa Inocencio Smith, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardonable
  1. excusable
  2. justifiable
  3. forgivable
  4. venial
Adjective
  • The purpose of the Correspondents’ Dinner is often misunderstood, an excusable side-effect of the viral clips over the years that show sitting presidents roasting the media (and getting roasted by entertainers in return).
    — Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • The rule in your case is that keeping the neighbors up at night is rude, but excusable in the case of unavoidable necessity.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
Definition of excusable
Adjective
  • There may be justifiable reasons for those teams to avoid the Red Raiders, including some residual frustration and anger over the handling of the Brandon Sorsby situation.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Fort Worth Independence Day shooting that killed one near Lake Arlington is being investigated as a justifiable homicide, according to a police report.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of justifiable
Adjective
  • And a Kansas loan for certain medical students can be forgivable, Moultrie said.
    — Annie Nova, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The schedule is forgivable, even by ACC standards, but a rematch on the road against Notre Dame will separate the Canes as contenders or pretenders.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of forgivable
Adjective
  • But logging off—and returning to the sphere in which people are apt to forgive one another for venial affronts—is no longer an option.
    — Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2022
  • And that loyalty has been reciprocated with job security and forgiveness of venial sins.
    — cleveland, cleveland, 12 Dec. 2021
Definition of venial

Browse Nearby Words

pardon
pardonable
pardoned
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Cite this Entry

“Pardonable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardonable. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pardonable

Nglish: Translation of pardonable for Spanish Speakers

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