verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/kənˈdoʊn/
Received-Pronunciation:/kənˈdəʊn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊn
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 N D OW1 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To forgive, excuse or overlook (something that is considered morally wrong, offensive, or generally disliked).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To allow, accept or permit (something that is considered morally wrong, offensive, or generally disliked).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To forgive (marital infidelity or other marital offense).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
excuse someone's behavior
She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: excuse
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: forgive
History
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin condōnāre (“to forgive”).
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
прощавам
(proštavam)
— to forgive
Bulgarian:
опрощавам
(oproštavam)
— to forgive
Catalan:
perdonar
— to forgive
Catalan:
condonar
— to forgive
Dutch:
vergeven
— to forgive
Dutch:
gedogen
— to forgive
Esperanto:
pardoni
— to forgive
Finnish:
antaa anteeksi
— to forgive
French:
pardonner
— to forgive
French:
tolérer
— to forgive
French:
cautionner
— to forgive
German:
nachsehen
— to forgive
German:
entschuldigen
— to forgive
German:
vergeben
— to forgive
German:
hinwegsehen über
— to forgive
German:
stillschweigend hinnehmen
— to forgive
German:
stillschweigend dulden
— to forgive
Japanese:
許す
(yurusu)
— to forgive
Norwegian:
tilgi, se gjennom fingrene med
— to forgive
Portuguese:
perdoar
— to forgive
Russian:
проща́ть
(proščátʹ)
— to forgive
Scottish Gaelic:
math
— to forgive
Spanish:
condonar
— to forgive
Swedish:
överse med
— to forgive
Swedish:
ha överseende med
— to forgive
Swedish:
tolerera
— to forgive
Ukrainian:
прощати
(proščaty)
— to forgive
Ukrainian:
пробачати
(probačaty)
— to forgive
Bulgarian:
позволявам
(pozvoljavam)
— to allow
Bulgarian:
извинявам
(izvinjavam)
— to allow
Chinese Mandarin:
容許 /容许
(róngxǔ)
— to allow
Dutch:
toelaten
— to allow
Esperanto:
permesi
— to allow
Esperanto:
rajtigi
— to allow
Finnish:
suvaita
— to allow
Finnish:
hyväksyä
— to allow
French:
autoriser
— to allow
French:
permettre
— to allow
French:
tolérer
— to allow
German:
zulassen
— to allow
German:
gestatten
— to allow
German:
tolerieren
— to allow
German:
hinnehmen
— to allow
German:
dulden
— to allow
German:
billigen
— to allow
German:
akzeptieren
— to allow
Japanese:
許す
(yurusu)
— to allow
Russian:
допуска́ть
(dopuskátʹ)
— to allow
Russian:
разреша́ть
(razrešátʹ)
— to allow
Ukrainian:
дозволяти
(dozvoljaty)
— to allow
Ukrainian:
потурати
(poturaty)
— to allow
Ukrainian:
заплющувати очі
(zapljuščuvaty oči)
— to allow
Dutch:
vergeven
— to forgive marital infidelity
Esperanto:
pardoni
— to forgive marital infidelity
French:
pardonner
— to forgive marital infidelity
German:
Untreue verzeihen
— to forgive marital infidelity
German:
Untreue vergeben
— to forgive marital infidelity
