What does expiate mean?
To expiate is to make amends for a wrongdoing — a sin, crime, or act of guilt — typically through suffering, penalty, or deliberate acts of reparation. The word is formal and carries strong moral and often religious overtones: one might expiate a betrayal by years of loyal service, or expiate a nation's historical injustice through public acknowledgment and reform. Unlike simply apologizing, expiating implies bearing some burden or undergoing something that balances the moral ledger. It is almost always used transitively, taking as its object the wrong itself rather than the person offended. English also derives from it the nouns 'expiation' (the act of atoning) and the adjective 'expiatory' (serving to atone). Rooted in Latin religious practice, where ritual purification cleansed individuals of offences, the word has retained a solemn, weighty character, making it especially apt in literature, theology, and serious discussions of justice and redemption.
verbTo make amends or atonement for a wrong, sin, or guilt, especially through suffering, penalty, or some act of reparation.
- To atone for or make amends for a sin, crime, or guilt, typically through suffering or an act of penance.
"He spent his later years working among the poor, hoping to expiate the wrongs of his youth."
"The novel's protagonist seeks to expiate a lifetime of deceit through quiet acts of charity."
"Ancient rites were performed to expiate the offence against the gods."
'Expiate' traces back to the Latin piare — to purify through sacred ritual — making it a linguistic cousin of 'pious': atonement and devotion share the same ancient root.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of expiate
'Expiate' comes from the Latin verb 'expiare', meaning to purify or atone, formed from 'ex-' (out of) and 'piare' (to appease or purify by rite), which itself derives from 'pius', the source of English 'pious' and 'piety'. In ancient Roman religion, expiation referred to ritual acts that cleansed individuals or communities of religious offence. The word entered English in the early 17th century, retaining both the theological sense of cleansing sin and the broader moral sense of atoning for wrongdoing. Its cognates include 'pious', 'piety', and the noun 'expiation'.
Related word forms
How expiate is actually used
Formal and literary in register; rare in casual conversation. Often appears in religious, moral, or legal contexts, and frequently takes abstract objects such as 'sins', 'guilt', or 'crimes'. The construction is usually transitive, though it can be used absolutely ('he had much to expiate').
Easily confused with expiate
Despite the similar spelling, 'expedite' means to speed up a process, while 'expiate' means to atone for a wrongdoing.
'Expunge' means to erase or remove completely (such as a record), whereas 'expiate' means to make amends for something wrong rather than erase it.