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Glite Dictionary
atoner

atoner

8.7
A person who tries to make up for wrongs by helping others or saying sorry
  • noun
  • /əˈtoʊnər/
translation icon : expiador
  • After realizing the pain his actions caused, John became an atoner, helping others and seeking forgiveness.

Examples

  • Royce's emphasis on the need for a highly intelligent design of the strategy that guides the deeds of the suffering atoner became far clearer in 1912.

    Academic text (1991)

  • In Turner's Christology here, Jesus functions not as a crucified atoner, but instead as a hard-working example of labor's redemptive qualities.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Lee quit, necessitating a re-shoot of the ending using stuntmen for stand-ins, and Melody Perkins (Astronema/Karone) was hired, becoming The Atoner.

    Blog text (31)

  • As an atoner, Maria dedicated her life to volunteering and making amends for her past mistakes.

  • David felt he needed to be an atoner for his wrongdoings, so he started donating to charity and helping those in need.

Synonyms

penitent
vsatoner
5 8.5

A person who feels sorry for doing wrong and asks for forgiveness

aims to repair harm by making amends and seeking reconciliation

How Committed

penitent
5 8.5
atoner
8.7
apologizer
  • US
1 3.5

Surface Forms

atoner singular
atoners plural

Morphology

atoner = atone (transparent) = atone + er

The agentive suffix '-er' creates 'atoner' meaning 'a person who atones', a straightforward derivation from the verb 'atone'.

Etymology

Atoner comes from atone, which originally meant 'at one' or 'united' after a disagreement, so it gives the image of being back together again. So an atoner is a person who tries to make things right and bring people back together.