Definition of 'apologize'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present
tense apologizes
, present participle apologizing
, past tense apologized
regional note: in BRIT, also use apologise
verb
When you apologize to someone, you say that you are sorry that you have hurt them or caused trouble for them. You can say 'I apologize' as a formal way of saying sorry.
Two years ago, Congress formally apologized for the internment. [V for n/-ing]
I apologize for being late. [VERB + for]
Costello later apologized, saying he'd been annoyed by the man. [VERB]
He apologized to the people who had been affected. [VERB + to]
[Also VERB with quote]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of 'apologize'
verb (intransitive)
1.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
noun
verb intransitiveWord forms: aˈpoloˌgized or aˈpoloˌgizing
2.
to make a formal defense in speech or writing
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
noun
Word Frequency
apologize in Hospitality
(əpɒlədʒaɪz)Word forms: (present) apologizes, (past) apologized, (perfect) apologized, (progressive) apologizing
verb
Useful phrases Apologizing formallyThe simplest way of apologizing for something that is not serious is to say I'm sorry or (for more emphasis), I'm very sorry or I'm so sorry.More formal ways of apologizing are I do apologize and I beg your pardon.To make a very formal apology, especially in writing, use Please accept my/our apologies.(Hospitality (hotel): General)
When you apologize to someone, you say that you are sorry that you have caused trouble for them.
COLLOCATIONS:
~ for~ to
The guest apologized for arriving late.
The manager apologized to the people who had been affected by the leak.
We apologize for any inconvenience this problem may cause our customers.
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Example sentences containing 'apologize'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
Read more…
On Monday afternoon, he publicly apologized for the pain he has caused his family. Christianity Today (2000)I apologized absolutely saying that I had entirely forgotten in my enthusiasm and was very sorry. Broken Lives (1993)
Trends of 'apologize'
Used Occasionally. apologize is one of the 30000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary
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Translations for 'apologize'
British English: apologize
/əˈpɒləˌdʒaɪz/ VERB
When you apologize to someone, you say that you are sorry that you have hurt them or caused trouble for them.
He apologized to the people who had been affected.
- American English: apologize
- Arabic: يَعْتَذِرُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: pedir desculpas
- Chinese: 道歉
- Croatian: ispričati se
- Czech: omluvit se
- Danish: undskylde
- Dutch: verontschuldigen (zich)
- European Spanish: disculparse
- Finnish: pyytää anteeksi
- French: s’excuser
- German: entschuldigen (sich)
- Greek: ζητώ συγγνώμη
- Italian: scusarsi
- Japanese: 謝る
- Korean: 사과하다
- Norwegian: be om unnskyldning
- Polish: przeprosić
- European Portuguese: pedir desculpas
- Romanian: a cere scuze
- Russian: извиняться
- Spanish: disculparse
- Swedish: be om ursäkt
- Thai: ขอโทษ
- Turkish: özür dilemek
- Ukrainian: перепрошувати
- Vietnamese: xin lỗi
Source
Definition of apologize from the
Collins English Dictionary
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