expiate

Word family

• expiation
  nounC1
• expiatory
  adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Expiate' is the most formal and literary of these four phrases, often carrying religious or moral weight — one expiates a sin or crime through an act that acknowledges the wrong and seeks to resolve it. 'Atone for' is similarly formal and moral but is more common in everyday religious discourse ('atone for one's mistakes'). 'Make amends for' shifts the focus from moral debt to repairing a relationship or compensating for harm; it is common in both formal and informal contexts. 'Redeem oneself (for)' centres on restoring one's own moral standing, so it does not carry the same sense of addressing the external wrong — you can redeem yourself by future good deeds without necessarily confronting the original harm. 'Make up for' is the most casual and broadest in scope, covering everything from minor social faux pas ('make up for being late') to serious wrongdoing. For example: the politician tried to expiate his corruption by resigning; he hoped his apology would make amends with voters; and he seemed eager to redeem himself through charity work.

Common collocations

Etymology

From Latin 'expiare' (ex- 'out, thoroughly' + piare 'to appease, to make pious', from pius 'pious, devout'). In ancient Rome, the word described ritual acts that appeased the gods and removed religious pollution. By the 16th century, English had adopted it with the broader meaning of making amends for wrongdoing through a tangible action or sacrifice.