Apologized

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To have conveyed a sense of regret or sorrow for a mistake or offense made toward another person To have expressed remorse in order to seek reconciliation following an error or misunderstanding To have admitted to wrongdoing while attempting to repair the relationship through an expression of contrition
2. Communicated sorrow or remorse for an action seen as wrong or harmful to someone else
3. Offered words that acknowledge a mistake and show a wish to make amends

Etymology: "Apologized" is simply the past tense of "apologize," so its story is really the story of the verb, which goes back to a Greek courtroom. Ancient Greek "apologia" meant a speech made in one's own defense, and the verb "apologeomai" meant to speak in one's defense. Behind that lies "apologos," an account or story, built from "apo-" (from, off) and "logos" (speech). The sense of defending yourself is the original one; saying sorry came much later. The shift happened gradually as the idea of defending oneself softened into offering an explanation and then into admitting fault. English took the noun "apology" from Latin and French forms of the Greek word, and "apologize" was formed in English by adding the suffix "-ize" to that noun. The past-tense ending "-ed" is simply the regular marker for a completed action.

Synonyms: regretted, excused

Antonyms: accused, blamed