apologise

IPA/ɐpˈɒlədʒˌaɪz/
KK[əpˈɑlədʒˌaɪz]IPA/əpˈɑːlədʒˌaɪz/

apologise — verb

1. to say you are sorry to someone because of something you did or said that upset

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to say you are sorry to someone because of something you did or said that upset them, inconvenienced them, or caused them problems

Example

Isabela apologised to her neighbour for the loud music at the party.

apologise + to + someone + for + something

Bao wrote a short letter to apologise for missing the meeting.

infinitive purpose: to apologise for [reason]

Common collocations
  • apologise for the inconvenience
  • apologise for the delay
  • apologise for the mistake
  • apologise sincerely
  • apologise profusely
  • apologise in person
Synonyms
  • say sorry

    less formal, used in everyday speech rather than writing

  • express regret

    more formal, common in business letters and official statements

  • make an apology

    emphasises the act itself; slightly more formal than 'apologise'

Antonyms
  • blame

    the opposite action — assigning fault instead of accepting it

Grammar Patterns

apologise + to + someone + for + something

apologise + for + something

apologise + to + someone

Usage Note

Intransitive only — the person you apologise to must follow 'to' (apologise to someone), and the reason must follow 'for' (apologise for something). You cannot say 'apologise someone' directly.

Common Mistakes

I apologised him for the mistake.
I apologised to him for the mistake.
'apologise' is intransitive and requires 'to' before the person.
She apologised for to be late.
She apologised for being late.
The word 'for' must be followed by a noun or an -ing form, not an infinitive.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Apologise' is the standard neutral word for telling someone you are sorry after upsetting them. 'Say sorry' is more informal and common in everyday conversation between friends and family. 'Express regret' is a formal alternative often used in written statements or public apologies by organisations — it can sometimes sound less personal. 'Make amends' goes further than words: it means doing something to fix the harm caused. For example, after arguing with a friend, you might apologise by phone; if you broke their laptop, you should make amends by paying for repairs.

apologise ↗say sorryexpress regretmake amends

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Apologise comes from the Greek word 'apologia', which originally meant a speech given in defence of oneself. It passed into Latin and then into English as 'apology' in the 1500s. Back then, an apology was a formal defence or explanation. Over the next two centuries the meaning shifted from 'defending yourself' to 'saying you are sorry' — the sense we use today.