“My Apology” or “My Apologies”? - The Word Counter

The phrases “my apology” and “my apologies” are both grammatically correct, but how we use them in sentences can look very different. “MyApology”or“MyApologies”? AlannaMadden March27,2020 GrammarTips Thephrases“myapology”and“myapologies”arebothgrammaticallycorrect,buthowweusetheminsentencescanlookverydifferent.Ifyou’relookingforanotherwaytosay,“I’msorry,”thecorrectphrasetouseis“myapologies.”Ifyou’rereferencingapastapology,thephrasetouseis“myapology.” Yourwriting,atitsbest Composebold,clear,mistake-free,writingwithGrammarly'sAI-poweredwritingassistant StartwritingwithGrammarly Whatisthedifferencebetween“myapology”and“myapologies”? Haveyoueverwonderedwhetherit’smoregrammaticallycorrecttosay“myapology”and“myapologies”?Thegoodnewsisthateitherphraseisgrammaticallycorrect.Buttherearecircumstanceswhereonephraseismoreappropriatethantheother.Thefirststeptolearningthedifferencebetween“myapology”and“myapologies”istoconsidertheirEnglishvocabulary.Eitherphraseutilizesthewordapologyasanoun,whichweshouldn’tconfusewithitsverbform,apologize.  Whatdoesapologizemean? Theverbformofapologyorapologiesis“apologize,”whereit’sdefinedasanactioninsteadofastateofbeing(noun)oradescription(adjective).Theverbapologizedescribestheactofexpressingregretortheactofmakinganapology. Howtouseapologizeinasentence Wecanusetheword“apologize”inthepresenttenseand“apologized”forthepast-tense.Ifyou’dliketouseapologizeinthepresentcontinuoustense,thewordyou’relookingforis“apologizing.”Forfuture-tenseapologize,it’sbesttouse“apologize.”Let’stakealookatafewexamplesentencesofusingapologizeinthepast,present,andfuturetenses: Past:“Iapologizedtomyroommatelastnight.”Present:“Theyapologizeforwhattheyhavedone.” “Heapologizesforoffendingyou.”Pres.-continuous:“Iamapologizingforpoorattendance.”Future:“Youwillapologizeforthetardiness.”  Whatisthesynonymofapologize? Therearemanywaystodescribetheactofapologizing,buthereareafewverbalsynonymstoaddtoyourEnglishvocabulary: TosaysorryToexpressregretorgriefToaskorbegforforgivenessToeathumblepie(informal)Toeatone’swords(informal) Afewoftheseinfinitivesynonymswilllookfamiliarasyoulearnmoreabout“myapologies”vs.“myapology.”Butit’simportanttorememberhowthesetermsareusedasverbs,asopposedtousingthewordapologyasanoun.   Whatdoes“myapologies”mean? Thephrase“myapologies”isanEnglishidiomthatisusedfigurativelyinplaceof“I’msorry.”Weusetheidiomtoapologizeforamistakethatwasoutsideofourcontrolortorecognizeanerrorandacceptblame.  Forexample, “Isendmyapologiestoeveryoneoffendedbytheloudmusic.”“ToanyoneIoffended,Isendmyapologies.” It’scommontousetheidiom“myapologies”similarilyto“mybad,”“pardonme,”or“pleaseexcuseme.”Thekeyfeatureof“myapologies,”isthatbyusingpluralapologies,you’realsoapologizingformultipleerrorsatonce(oratleast,themistakesyoususpecttoexist).  Forexample, “Icannotmakeittotheparty.Pleasesendthehostmyapologies.”“Myapologies,Ididn’tmeantobumpintoyourshoppingcart!” Wecanalsousethephrase“myapologies”toreferencetheoccurrenceofmultipleapologiesinthepasttense.Examplesentencesmightinclude: “Isentmyapologies,butIthinktheyfellondeafears.”“Didyoureceivemyapologies?” Whatdoes“myapology”mean? Weusethephrase“myapology”toreferencesapastapologyoratimewhenyouapologizedtoanotherperson. Examplesentencesmightinclude, “Shedidn’tacceptmyapology.” “Myapologydidn’tgooververywell.”  Thesingularformofapologyisanoncountnoun,whichmeansitrepresentsanabstractquantitythatisuncountable.Forinstance,thewordapologyisanoncountnounifit’sdescribingawrittenletterofapology(featuringseveralapologies)oranactthatiscommittedunapologetically.  Forexample, “Theactortweetedanoteofapologytothefanshehadletdown.” “Mycatmarchesacrossthekeyboardwithoutapologytoreceiveattention.” Whatisthedefinitionofapology? Thewordapologyisanounthat’sdefinedinfourways: Anadmissionofoffenseorerrorthat’saccompaniedwithanexpressionofremorse.Forexample, “Ioweyouanapologyforparkinginyourspace,asitwasaselfishthingtodo.” Ajustificationthatexoneratesonefromguiltorblameforanoffense. Forexample, “Heprovidedanapologyformissingclassandexplainedthathiscardisabledhisabilitytoattend.”  Adefenseorjustificationofsomethingheavilycriticized,suchasatheoryordoctrine.Forexample, “Theprofessor’sdefenseofmathematicsisanapologyforsystemicprejudice.”  Aninformalnounrepresentinganinadequateexampleorapoorsubstituteforsomethingelse.“Anapologyfor”issynonymouswithphraseslike“anexcusefor,”“apoorimitationof,”“acaricatureof,”or“amockeryof.” Forexample, “Agoldfishisasadapologyforapet.” Synonyms Acknowledgment,admission,alibi,atonement,confession,cop-out,defense,excuse,guise,justification,plea,rationale,reason,reparation,vindication,whitewash.  Antonyms Denial,refusal,repudiation.  Whatisthedefinitionofapologies? Thewordapologiesisthepluralformofapology.Weusethetermapologiesinsteadofapologywhileexpressingaformalregretforsomethingwecannotchangeorhelp,suchasmissingasocialevent.  Forexample, “Ourfamilyisunabletoattendtheceremony,andwesendourdeepestapologies.” Synonyms Condolences,regrets.  Etymologyofapologyandapologies ThewordapologyiseitherMiddleFrenchapologieorLateLatinasapologia.ThewordapologiastemsfromGreekapo-(away)andlogia(logos),whichtranslatesto“aspeechinone’sowndefense,”accordingtoLexico.  Howtouse“myapology”inasentence? SometimesthebestwaytolearnEnglishgrammaristoreviewseveralexamplesentencesandtolookforfamiliarpatternsofspeech.Forinstance,thereoccurringpatternfor“myapology”isthatitfollowsaverbinasentence.Inthiscase,“myapology”actsasadirectorindirectsentenceobjectbecauseitreceivesaverb’saction.  Forexample,  “Isincerelyhopethatyouacceptmyapology.”“Pleaseacceptmyapology.”“IextendmyapologytotheGovernorandmembersoftheStateSenate.”“Icannotwaitanylongertoexpressmyapology.” Thealternatewayofusing“myapology”istouseitbeforeaverb,orasasentencesubjectinsteadofanobject.Inthiscase,“myapology”referencesanactionthatoccursinthepast-tense. Forexample, “Myapologydidnotmatter.”(negativepast-tensesof“tomatter”)“Myapologywasterrible.”(past-tenseaffirmativeof“tobe”)“Myapologyfeltright.”(simplepast-tenseof“tofeel” Howtouse“myapologies”inasentence? Similarto“myapology,”thephrase“myapologies”canoccurasasentenceobjectifitreceivesanactionfromaverb.Inthissense,“myapologies”representsaseriesofpastapologies.  Forexample, “Ioffermyapologies.”“Ihopeyou’llreceivethewarmthofmyapologies.”“I’dliketoconveymyapologies.” Ifyou’dliketouseadirectsubstitutefor“I’msorry,”asentencesubject,youcansay“myapologies”instead.  Forexample, “Myapologiesformissingtheparty!”=“I’msorryformissingtheparty!”“Myapologiestomypartner,whowasn’taware..”=“I’msorrytomypartner…” It’salsocommontoreadthephrase“myapologies”asitrelatesto“withapologiesto.”Inthiscase,“myapologies”occursbeforethenameofacreatorwhoseworkyouintendtoparodyoradapt.Anexampleofsuch(myapologiestoSophieBrookover)isshownthroughareviewonVulture: “Theeventsof“Uptown”testthisquestionbypresentingRobwithadare-to-be-greatsituation(myapologiestoLloydDobler),providingawelcome…”  Issaying“myapology”and“myapologies”thebestwaytoapologize? Withtheeraofsocialeramediaanddigitalnews,theactofwrittenapologieshasbecomealostart.It’salltoocommontoreadapublicapologyviaTwitterandFacebookfrompoliticiansorcelebritieswithphraseslike“myapologies,”“mycondolences,”oreven“…thoughtsandprayers.”Butdotheseexpressionsreadasapologeticorapathetic?  Ifyou’recasuallyusingthephrases“myapology”or“myapologies,”you’relikelyapologizingforsomethingthatisn’toverlypersonalormalicious.Ifyou’reapologizingforaslightinconvenience,suchasmissinganeventorbumpingintosomebodyatthestore,theneitherphraseisentirelyacceptable. Ifyou’reapologizingformajorwrongdoingsthathavepersonallyaffectedsomebodyelse,acasual“myapology”or“myapologies”mightnotappearasasincereapology.Inthiscase,you’relikelygoingtomakeamendsinadditiontosaying,“I’msorry.”Thedifferenceisthatanapologyonlyacknowledgestheexistenceofwrongdoingandanexpressionofsorrow.Incontrast,makingamendsacknowledgesandfixesthemistakeinadditiontoensuringtheerrordoesn’thappenagain.  Howtouse“myapology”or“myapologies”inaformalletterofapology Thephrases“myapology”and“myapologies”areappropriatetouseinaletterornoteofapologyaslongasit’ssubmittedtomakeamends.Apologizingintheformofdefenseorjustificationforwrongdoingisnotintheessenceofagenuineapology.Besuretoincludecertainpointsinyourformalletter,suchas: “I’msorry.”Period.Nojustification. Admitthatyou’rewrong. Addressthewrongedparty.Addressthespecificincidentandwhyitwaswrong. Expresswhyit’simportanttofixthemistake.Describewhatyoucandotofixtheerror.Askforforgiveness.Ensurethattheerrorwillnotoccuragain. Formalexamplesof“myapology”or“myapologies”mightinclude: “Pleaseacceptmyapologyfor….”“Ihopeyoucanacceptmyapology…” “I’dliketooffermyapologiesto….” It’simportantalsotorememberthatifyou’rewritingaformalpersonalapology,youcannotexpectanyonetoforgiveyou.Thisisespeciallytrueifthewrongdoingisheinousorarepeatedpatternofbehavior.Anothercrucialreminderisthatunlessyouactivelystrivetoavoidmakingthesamemistake,youhavenotmadeamends.Ifyoucannotensurethatsomethingwillnothappenagain,donotpromiseotherwise,andjustadmitthatyou’rewrong.  FAQ:Relatedto“myapology”and“myapologies” Howdoyousayapologyandapologies? InEnglish,thewordapologyisalwayspronouncedwithfoursyllables,althoughthetermissaiddifferentlybyAmericanandBritishEnglishspeakers: AmericanEnglish:“uhh-paa-luh-jee.”BritishEnglish:“uh-po-luh-jee.”  Pluralapologiesispronouncedsimilarlytothesingularapology,exceptthe“jee”ispronouncedas“jeez:”  AmericanEnglish:“uhh-paa-luh-jeez.”BritishEnglish:“uh-po-luh-jeez.”  HowdoyouspellapologizeintheUK? Similartowordslikegreyandtoward,thewordapologizeisspelleddifferentlyintheUnitedKingdom.“BritishEnglish”grammar,asyoumaycallit,spelltheverbapologizeasapologise,instead.  TestYourself! Testhowwellyouunderstandthedifferencebetween“myapology”and“myapologies”withthefollowingmultiple-choicequestions:  Weusethephrase_________toreferenceapastapology.a.Myapologiesb.Iapologizec.Myapologyd.AandCWecanusethephrase_________inplaceof“I’msorry”isasentence.a.Myapologyb.Myapologiesc.Iapologized.BandCWeusethephrase_________toreferenceaseriesofpastapologies.a.Myapologiesb.Iapologizec.Myapologyd.AandC“Ioffer_________butalsomygratitudeforencounteringthislearningmoment.”a.Myapologiesb.Myapologyc.Anapologyd.AandC“Shedidn’twanttohear_________oftheguiltyparties.” a.Myapologies b.Myapology c.Theapologies d.BandC“Itwasamistake,andIsincerelyhopethatshehearsandaccepts_________.”a.Myapologiesb.Myapologyc.Theapologiesd.AandC Answers CBD;ApologyisalsoanoncountnounAC;“Theapologiesoftheguiltyparties.”B Sources “Apologize.”ReversoConjugation,Reverso-Softissimo,2019.  “Apology.”TheMerriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-WebsterInc.,2020.“Apology.”TheMerriam-Webster.comThesaraus,Merriam-WebsterInc.,2020.“Apology.”CollinsEnglishDictionary,Dictionary.com,2020. “Apology.”Lexico,OxfordUniversityPress,2020.“Apologize.”Lexico,OxfordUniversityPress,2020.Brookover,S.“HighFidelityRecap:TheCollector.”Vulture,VoxMediaNetwork,15Feb2020.  AlannaMaddenAlannaMaddenisafreelancewriterandeditorfromPortland,Oregon.Alannaspecializesindataandnewsreportingandenjoyswritingaboutart,culture,andSTEM-relatedtopics.IcanbefoundonLinkedin. RecentPosts Wouldvs.will? Yeavs.yeah? Wondervs.wander? Sitevs.sight?