Penitence

Synonyms for penitence
noun shame, sorrow

repentance
penance
contrition
compunction
regret
humiliation
degradation

qualm
sadness
rue
grief
remorse
contriteness
debasement

attrition
ruth
anguish
scruple
distress
remorsefulness
self-condemnation

ruefulness
self-flagellation
self-reproach
self-punishment
humbling
self-castigation

Antonyms for penitence

happiness
satisfaction
joy

contentedness
elevation
approval

comfort
shamelessness

Concept Thesaurus for word penitence
3. Moral conditions
Synonyms – noun

penitence
remorse
self-accusation
pangs of conscience
twitch of conscience
acknowledgement, confession (disclosure)
resipiscence.
stool of repentance
Magdalen

contrition
regret
self-condemnation
qualms of conscience
touch of conscience
apology
awakened conscience
cuttystool.
prodigal son

compunction
self-reproach
self-humiliation
prickings of conscience
voice of conscience
recantation
deathbed repentance
penitent
“a sadder and a wiser man”

repentance
self-reproof
stings of conscience
twinge of conscience
compunctious visitings of nature.
penance
locus paenitentiae
repentant
[Coleridge].

Synonyms – verbs

repent
regret
plead guilty
own oneself in the wrong
humble oneself
turn from sin
learn by experience.

be sorry for
think better of
sing miserere
acknowledge
beg pardon (apologize)
reclaim

be penitent
recant
sing de profundis
confess
turn over a new leaf
repent in sackcloth and ashes

rue
knock under (submit)
cry peccavi
(disclose)[more]
put on the new man
(do penance)[more]

Synonyms – adjectives

penitent
conscience-smitten
penitential
unhardened.

repenting
conscience-stricken
penitentiary

repentant
self-accusing
reclaimed

contrite
self-convicted.
not hardened

Synonyms – phrases
peccavi; erubuit; salva res est [Terence]; Tu l’as voulu, Georges Dandin; “and wet his grave with my repentant tears” [Richard III].
Antonyms

impenitence

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