First Known Use: 1805
Dictionary
condone
verb con·done \kən-ˈdōn\
: to forgive or approve (something that is considered wrong) : to allow (something that is considered wrong) to continue
con·donedcon·don·ing
Full Definition of CONDONE
transitive verb
: to regard or treat (something bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless <a government accused of condoning racism> <condone corruption in politics>
— con·don·able \-ˈdō-nə-bəl\ adjective
— con·don·er noun
See condone defined for English-language learners
See condone defined for kids
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Examples of CONDONE
- “I don't condone violence, and I think ‘gangsta rap’ should be outlawed,” says [designer Tommy] Hilfiger … —Joshua Levine, Forbes, 21 Apr. 1997
- Without waiting for Momma's thanks, he rode out of the yard, sure that things were as they should be and that he was a gentle squire, saving those deserving serfs from the laws of the land, which he condoned. —Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
- And then she told him all—told him the truth word by word, without attempting to shield herself or condone her error. —Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1912
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Origin of CONDONE
Latin condonare to absolve, from com- + donare to give — more at donation
Related to CONDONE
- Synonyms
- blink (at), brush (aside or off), excuse, discount, disregard, forgive, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, overlook, overpass, paper over, pardon, pass over, remit, shrug off, whitewash, wink (at)
Synonym Discussion of CONDONE
excuse, condone, pardon, forgive mean to exact neither punishment nor redress. excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these <excuse an interruption> <excused them for interrupting>. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances <injustice excuses strong responses>. condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it <a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics>. pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense <pardon a criminal>. forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings <could not forgive their rudeness>.
Rhymes with CONDONE
agon, aitchbone, alone, atone, backbone, Bastogne, bemoan, Big Stone, birthstone, Blackstone, bloodstone, bluestone, bondstone, Boulogne, breastbone, bridge loan, brimstone, brownstone, call loan, calzone, Capone, capstone, cell phone, cheekbone, chinbone, cogon, cologne, Cologne, colon, colón, Colón, copestone, corn pone, curbstone, cyclone, daimon, dapsone, debone, depone, dethrone, dial tone, disown, Dordogne, downzone, dripstone, drop zone, drystone, earphone, earth tone, end zone, enthrone, estrone, fieldstone, firestone, Firestone, flagstone, flowstone, flyblown, footstone, freestone, free zone, full-blown, gallstone, gemstone, Gijón, goldstone, gravestone, greenstone, grindstone, hailstone, halftone, handblown, hard stone, headphone, headstone, hearthstone, high-flown, hip bone, homegrown, hormone, hornstone, impone, ingrown, inkstone, in stone, intone, jawbone, jewel tone, keystone, León, leone, life zone, limestone, lodestone, long bone, Maidstone, milestone, millstone, moonstone, mudstone, nose cone, oilstone, orgone, ozone, pay phone, peptone, pinbone, pinecone, piñon, pipestone, postpone, potstone, propone, redbone, red zone, rhinestone, sandstone, shade-grown, shinbone, siltstone, snow cone, soapstone, splint bone, strike zone, T-bone, tailbone, thighbone, time zone, toadstone, tombstone, touchstone, touch-tone, tritone, trombone, turnstone, twelve-tone, two-tone, Tyrone, unknown, unthrone, war zone, well-known, whalebone, wheel-thrown, whetstone, windblown, wishbone, Yangon
CONDONED Defined for Kids
con*done
verb \kən-ˈdōn\
con*doned con*don*ing
Definition of CONDONE for Kids
: to treat (something bad) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless <I can't condone his actions.>
Learn More About CONDONE
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