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GRE vocabulary

atone

verbHigh-frequency wordMore A words

to make amends or reparation for a wrong or injury that one has committed

Word origin: From Middle English at one, to be reconciled or set in harmony.

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In a sentence

Atone in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing atone in a sentence.

He spent years trying to atone for the mistakes he had made in his youth.

He spent years volunteering in the community he had wronged, hoping in some measure to atone.

Synonyms
repentexpiatecompensateredress
Antonyms

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The negotiator's reputation for blank served her well: rivals who tried to outwait her invariably found that she had already anticipated their stalling and arranged a fallback months in advance.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “atone” well

Atone means to make amends for a wrong, typically followed by for. It carries a connotation of moral or spiritual reparation, not mere apology.

Common questions

Questions about “atone”

Atone (verb) means to make amends or reparation for a wrong or injury that one has committed
Here is atone used in an example sentence: "He spent years trying to atone for the mistakes he had made in his youth." Another example: "He spent years volunteering in the community he had wronged, hoping in some measure to atone."
Common synonyms for atone include repent, expiate, compensate, redress.
Antonyms of atone include offend, transgress.
Atone clusters with repent, expiate, compensate, and redress in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms offend and transgress mark the wrongdoing that atonement seeks to repair.
Yes. Atone is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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