What does condoning mean?
"Condoning" refers to the act of deliberately ignoring, overlooking, or failing to condemn behaviour that is known to be wrong — thereby treating it, whether intentionally or not, as if it were acceptable. The word derives from the verb "condone," which traces back to the Latin condonare, meaning to give away or pardon. Condoning differs from active approval: the person who condones may privately disapprove, but their silence or inaction signals acceptance. For this reason, the word carries a strongly negative connotation, especially in moral, legal, and political discussion, where individuals and institutions are frequently accused of condoning corruption, violence, or abuse through passive tolerance. It is formal in register and common in journalism and public debate. Related forms include the noun "condonation." Understanding condoning matters because it names a subtle but consequential form of complicity: not doing wrong oneself, yet allowing it to continue.
Present participle and gerund of 'condone': to ignore or overlook something morally wrong, implicitly accepting it.
"The committee was accused of condoning the misuse of funds by refusing to investigate."
Almost always followed by an explicit object naming the tolerated wrongdoing.
As a gerund, the practice or act of tolerating wrongdoing without condemning it.
"Their condoning of late submissions undermined the exam rules."
To condone is not to approve outright — it is to let wrongdoing pass with a shrug, which critics argue can be just as damning.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of condoning
Condoning comes from the verb "condone," which entered English in the early 17th century from the Latin condonare, formed from com- ('together') plus donare ('to give'), hence originally 'to give up' or 'forgive.' Its earliest English sense was close to pardoning, particularly the remission of a spouse's adultery, before shifting toward the modern meaning of tacit acceptance of wrongdoing. It shares its Latin root with words like donate and pardon.
Related word forms
How condoning is actually used
Formal in register and frequent in journalism, ethics, and institutional criticism. It carries a strongly negative connotation — being accused of condoning something implies moral complicity through inaction. It usually takes an object: one condones something, rather than condoning in general.
Easily confused with condoning
'Condemning' means openly denouncing wrongdoing, whereas 'condoning' means tacitly accepting or ignoring it — near-opposite meanings that share a similar sound.