stop blaming or grant forgiveness
"I forgave him his infidelity"
"She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday"
To pardon; to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment, retribution, or compensation.
"After years of silence, she finally chose to forgive his betrayal and waived all desire for revenge."
In plain English: To forgive means to stop being angry with someone and decide not to hold their mistakes against them anymore.
"She decided to forgive her friend after he apologized for being late."
Usage: Use forgive when you decide not to hold someone responsible for an offense and choose to end your resentment toward them. This word applies specifically to interpersonal wrongs where the offender has been given a chance at redemption rather than facing consequences.
The word "forgive" comes from Old English, where it originally meant "to give away" or "release." It is formed by combining the prefix for- with the verb give, reflecting its root idea of giving up something.