To atone means to make up for a wrong you've done, to try to set things right after you've hurt someone or made a mistake. When you atone, you take real action to repair the damage and show genuine remorse through your efforts.

If you accidentally broke your sister's favorite mug, you might atone by saving your allowance to buy her a replacement and doing extra chores to show you're genuinely sorry. If you spread a rumor about a classmate, atoning might mean publicly admitting you were wrong and making an effort to restore their reputation.

Religious traditions often include ways to atone for sins or mistakes, recognizing that humans make errors but can work to become better.

Atonement requires humility and courage. It means admitting fault and accepting responsibility rather than making excuses or pretending nothing happened. While you can't always undo what you've done, sincere atonement shows you understand the harm you caused and you're committed to doing better. The related word atonement refers to the act of atoning: “His atonement for breaking the window included replacing it and apologizing in person.”