What does forgiven mean?
Forgiven is the past participle of the verb 'to forgive', and it denotes the state of having had an offence, debt, or fault released rather than punished or resented. When someone is forgiven, the injured party consciously lets go of anger and the claim to retribution; when something such as a loan or debt is forgiven, it is formally cancelled. The word carries strong connotations of mercy, reconciliation, and moral grace, which makes it especially prominent in religious language — prayers, hymns, and scriptures speak of sins being forgiven — as well as in everyday relationships, where an apology may be accepted and the offence forgiven. It also appears in legal and financial registers, notably in talk of student loans being forgiven. As a word, 'forgiven' sits within the Germanic-derived family of 'forgive', 'forgiving', and 'forgiveness', all built on the old sense of 'giving up' a grievance completely. Its counterpart, 'unforgiven', marks the absence of that release and remains one of the most emotionally charged opposites in English.
verb (past participle)Forgiven is the past participle of the verb 'forgive', meaning to have ceased to feel resentment against someone for an offence or fault, and to have released them from blame or penalty.
- As the past participle of 'forgive': having been released from blame or resentment for a wrong (e.g. 'her debt was forgiven').
- Used adjectivally in religious and moral contexts to describe a person regarded as absolved of sin or guilt.
"She knew that her mistake had been truly forgiven."
"By the time he apologised, his outburst had already been forgiven."
"In many traditions, the faithful believe their sins are forgiven through sincere repentance."
In English, you can be forgiven before you've even asked — but the word itself comes from an old Germanic idea of 'giving away' your grudge entirely.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forgiven
Forgiven descends from Old English 'forgiefan', formed from the prefix 'for-' combined with 'giefan' ('to give'), where the prefix conveyed completion or undoing — hence literally 'to give away' a wrong or grudge. The word has remained continuously in use since the earliest records of English, with its core sense of pardoning an offence stable across centuries. Its Germanic roots make it a cousin of words like 'give' and 'gift'; related Latin-derived terms such as 'pardon' entered English later from French and now sit alongside it in the vocabulary of mercy.
Related word forms
How forgiven is actually used
'Forgiven' appears most often in passive constructions ('has been forgiven') and in religious or moral discourse. In financial contexts, as when a loan is forgiven, it carries a formal, legal register. The word connotes mercy and release rather than mere tolerance of a fault.
Easily confused with forgiven
'Forgiven' means released from blame for an offence, while 'forgotten' means failed to remember; the two share a similar sound but entirely different meanings.
'Forgiving' describes the ongoing act or disposition of one who forgives, whereas 'forgiven' describes the state of the person who has been let off.