Idioms are special phrases where the combined words create a meaning different from the literal definition. People use them to make conversations more colorful, expressive, and emotionally engaging. In this article, you will learn a large collection of helpful expressions related to saying sorry and making amends.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean admitting a mistake, asking for forgiveness, or making things right. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Saying Sorry
1. Eat humble pie
Definition: To admit that you were wrong and accept humiliation or an apology.
Used in a Sentence: After arguing that he knew the shortcut, he had to eat humble pie when we got completely lost. / She had to eat humble pie in front of the whole team after doubting their strategy.
Similar Expressions: Admit defeat / Swallow your pride
2. Bend over backwards
Definition: To try extremely hard to please someone or make up for a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: The store manager bent over backwards to replace the damaged toy and make the customer happy. / He bent over backwards to help his friend study after missing the test.
Similar Expressions: Go out of your way / Try your absolute best
3. Make amends
Definition: To do something good to show you are sorry for causing trouble or hurting someone.
Used in a Sentence: He bought a new book for his sister to make amends for tearing her favorite story. / Bringing flowers to the teacher was her way of trying to make amends for shouting.
Similar Expressions: Fix the problem / Right a wrong
4. Pocket your pride
Definition: To hide your ego and admit a mistake even when it feels embarrassing.
Used in a Sentence: You need to pocket your pride and tell your brother you are sorry for breaking his toy. / She had to pocket your pride and ask for help with her math homework.
Similar Expressions: Swallow your pride / Put ego aside
5. Clear the air
Definition: To talk openly about a disagreement so that everyone feels peaceful again.
Used in a Sentence: The two friends had a long chat after school to clear the air about the misunderstanding. / A quick apology helped clear the air between the teammates.
Similar Expressions: Resolve tension / Clear up a fight
6. Turn over a new leaf
Definition: To make a fresh start and change your behavior for the better.
Used in a Sentence: After getting into trouble for talking in class, he decided to turn over a new leaf. / She promised to turn over a new leaf and always share her crayons.
Similar Expressions: Make a fresh start / Change for the better
7. Kiss and make up
Definition: To forgive each other after an argument and become friends again.
Used in a Sentence: After bickering over the board game rules, the siblings decided to kiss and make up. / The best part of resolving a fight is getting to kiss and make up.
Similar Expressions: Forgive and forget / Reconcile differences
8. Cry over spilled milk
Definition: To waste time worrying about a mistake or problem that cannot be fixed.
Used in a Sentence: Dropping your pencil is annoying, but there is no use crying over spilled milk. / We missed our bus, but crying over spilled milk will not get us to school faster.
Similar Expressions: Worry uselessly / Regret the past
9. Own up
Definition: To admit that you did something wrong or made a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: It takes courage to own up to breaking the window with a baseball. / He decided to own up right away instead of letting someone else get blamed.
Similar Expressions: Confess openly / Take responsibility
10. Fall on your sword
Definition: To take full responsibility and accept the punishment for a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: The team captain decided to fall on his sword when the group project was turned in late. / Instead of blaming his younger brother, he chose to fall on his sword.
Similar Expressions: Take the blame / Accept consequences
11. Clear your conscience
Definition: To confess something so you stop feeling guilty inside.
Used in a Sentence: Returning the borrowed game helped clear his conscience after keeping it too long. / Telling the truth about the broken vase helped her clear her conscience.
Similar Expressions: Ease your mind / Remove guilt
12. Patch things up
Definition: To fix a broken relationship or solve a disagreement.
Used in a Sentence: They spent the afternoon trying to patch things up after their big argument. / An honest apology is the best way to patch things up with a friend.
Similar Expressions: Mend fences / Repair friendship
13. Eat your words
Definition: To admit that something you said earlier was completely wrong.
Used in a Sentence: He had to eat his words when the team he laughed at ended up winning the championship. / Once the science experiment worked, she had to eat her words.
Similar Expressions: Retract a statement / Admit error
14. Mend fences
Definition: To repair a damaged relationship or restore friendly ties.
Used in a Sentence: The neighbors tried to mend fences after arguing over the property line. / She called her cousin to mend fences after their family dispute.
Similar Expressions: Fix relations / Restore harmony
15. Make a clean breast of it
Definition: To confess everything honestly after hiding a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: He finally decided to make a clean breast of it and tell his parents about the missing grade. / Making a clean breast of the hidden truth made her feel much lighter.
Similar Expressions: Confess everything / Tell the whole truth
16. Sing a different tune
Definition: To change your opinion or attitude, especially after realizing you were wrong.
Used in a Sentence: He thought the chore was easy, but he started singing a different tune once he tried it. / She sang a different tune about vegetables after tasting her mom’s soup.
Similar Expressions: Change your mind / Switch attitude
17. Swallow your pride
Definition: To force yourself to be humble and admit an error.
Used in a Sentence: You must swallow your pride and say sorry if you want to fix this friendship. / He had to swallow his pride and ask the teacher for extra help.
Similar Expressions: Pocket your pride / Humble yourself
18. Back down
Definition: To admit defeat or stop arguing a point when you realize you are wrong.
Used in a Sentence: After seeing the map, he had to back down about which road to take. / She refused to back down until everyone looked at the evidence.
Similar Expressions: Yield an argument / Surrender a point
19. Wave the white flag
Definition: To surrender or signal that you want to stop fighting.
Used in a Sentence: After losing three video game rounds in a row, he waved the white flag. / The kids finally waved the white flag and stopped arguing over the remote control.
Similar Expressions: Surrender / Give up fighting
20. Eat crow
Definition: To admit a humiliating mistake or suffer a defeat.
Used in a Sentence: He had to eat crow after bragging that he would easily win the race. / She was forced to eat crow when her prediction turned out completely wrong.
Similar Expressions: Face humiliation / Accept defeat
21. Bury the hatchet
Definition: To stop fighting or arguing and become friends again.
Used in a Sentence: The two rival soccer players shook hands to bury the hatchet after the match. / It is always better to bury the hatchet than to hold a grudge.
Similar Expressions: Make peace / End hostilities
22. Look someone in the eye
Definition: To be honest and direct, often when apologizing or telling the truth.
Used in a Sentence: He looked his mom in the eye when he promised to keep his room clean. / You should look your friend in the eye when you tell them you are sorry.
Similar Expressions: Be truthful / Face directly
23. Ask for forgiveness
Definition: To formally request that someone pardon you for a wrong action.
Used in a Sentence: She went to her brother to ask for forgiveness after breaking his model airplane. / It is important to ask for forgiveness when you hurt someone’s feelings.
Similar Expressions: Seek pardon / Request grace
24. Carry the burden
Definition: To hold onto the heavy feeling of guilt from a hidden mistake.
Used in a Sentence: He carried the burden of the broken window for days before telling the truth. / Sharing your secret with an adult helps you stop carrying the burden.
Similar Expressions: Bear guilt / Hold a secret weight
25. Face the music
Definition: To accept the unpleasant results of your wrong actions.
Used in a Sentence: After painting on the wall, he had to face the music and clean it up. / If you do not do your homework, you must face the music tomorrow.
Similar Expressions: Accept consequences / Take your punishment
26. Come clean
Definition: To tell the complete truth about something you kept secret.
Used in a Sentence: The kids decided to come clean about who ate the last cookie. / It is always best to come clean right away instead of lying.
Similar Expressions: Tell the truth / Confess all
27. Make it up to someone
Definition: To do something nice to compensate for a past mistake or bad action.
Used in a Sentence: I missed your birthday party, but I want to make it up to you this weekend. / He bought ice cream to make it up to his sister for missing the game.
Similar Expressions: Compensate / Reperforate kindness
28. Take the blame
Definition: To accept responsibility for a mistake so others do not get punished.
Used in a Sentence: The older brother decided to take the blame for the messy kitchen. / She chose to take the blame rather than let her friend get in trouble.
Similar Expressions: Accept responsibility / Bear the fault
29. Clear the slate
Definition: To wipe away past mistakes and start fresh with someone.
Used in a Sentence: After their argument, they agreed to clear the slate and be good partners. / The teacher offered to clear the slate for students who missed early assignments.
Similar Expressions: Start fresh / Wipe clean
30. Eat dirt
Definition: To accept harsh treatment or humiliation as a penalty for a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: He had to eat dirt and listen to his coach lecture him about missing practice. / Losing the challenge meant the team had to eat dirt and admit defeat.
Similar Expressions: Face humiliation / Accept reprimand
31. Breathe a sigh of relief
Definition: To feel sudden relaxation after a stressful problem is resolved or apologized for.
Used in a Sentence: We breathed a sigh of relief once the teacher accepted our sincere apology. / She breathed a sigh of relief when her lost wallet was returned.
Similar Expressions: Feel relieved / Relax at last
32. Let bygones be bygones
Definition: To forget past disagreements and move forward peacefully.
Used in a Sentence: Let bygones be bygones and focus on winning the next game together. / After they apologized, they decided to let bygones be bygones.
Similar Expressions: Forget the past / Move on
33. Clear your name
Definition: To prove that you did not do something wrong you were accused of.
Used in a Sentence: He brought photos to clear his name after being accused of missing the meeting. / She worked hard to clear her name when someone blamed her for the mess.
Similar Expressions: Prove innocence / Vindicate yourself
34. Show remorse
Definition: To express deep regret and sadness for hurting someone.
Used in a Sentence: He showed true remorse by writing a heartfelt apology letter to his classmate. / The student showed remorse for disrupting the quiet library.
Similar Expressions: Express regret / Feel sorry
35. Make a concession
Definition: To admit a point or give something up to reach an agreement during a dispute.
Used in a Sentence: The manager made a concession on the price to keep the customer happy. / Making a concession during an argument helps both sides feel heard.
Similar Expressions: Yield a point / Compromise
36. Back down gracefully
Definition: To stop arguing or defending a wrong position with kindness and politeness.
Used in a Sentence: She realized she was mistaken about the date and decided to back down gracefully. / It takes maturity to back down gracefully during a disagreement.
Similar Expressions: Surrender politely / Yield with grace
37. Pay for your mistakes
Definition: To accept the negative consequences or punishments caused by your actions.
Used in a Sentence: If you break school property, you will have to pay for your mistakes. / He learned to think ahead so he would not have to pay for his mistakes later.
Similar Expressions: Face penalties / Suffer consequences
38. Extend an olive branch
Definition: To offer a peace offering or show that you want to end a fight.
Used in a Sentence: She decided to extend an olive branch by sharing her snack with her rival. / Bringing a board game to lunch was his way to extend an olive branch.
Similar Expressions: Offer peace / Propose truce
39. Walk back your words
Definition: To take back something offensive or incorrect you previously said.
Used in a Sentence: He had to walk back his words after insulting his teammate’s drawing. / The speaker had to walk back his comments after realizing they were wrong.
Similar Expressions: Take it back / Retract statement
40. Kiss and forget
Definition: To forgive a past grievance completely and never bring it up again.
Used in a Sentence: After saying sorry, they agreed to kiss and forget the silly argument. / Moving forward means you should kiss and forget old troubles.
Similar Expressions: Forgive fully / Let it go
41. Offer a sincere apology
Definition: To express genuine regret from the heart for doing something wrong.
Used in a Sentence: He offered a sincere apology to his teacher for arriving late. / A sincere apology can repair even the deepest hurt between friends.
Similar Expressions: Apologize deeply / Share true regret
42. Smooth things over
Definition: To make a tense situation calm and friendly again.
Used in a Sentence: The teacher tried to smooth things over after the two students started arguing. / He brought extra cookies to smooth things over with his neighbors.
Similar Expressions: Calm tension / Ease relations
43. Cry uncle
Definition: To surrender or admit defeat during a playful or serious conflict.
Used in a Sentence: After being pinned down during wrestling practice, he finally had to cry uncle. / She refused to cry uncle until her brother agreed to share the game.
Similar Expressions: Surrender / Yield defeat
44. Admit fault
Definition: To state clearly that you are responsible for an error.
Used in a Sentence: It is important to admit fault rather than lie when you make a mistake. / He was brave enough to admit fault for dropping the science beaker.
Similar Expressions: Confess error / Acknowledge blame
45. Eat a slice of humble pie
Definition: To experience embarrassment after being proven wrong.
Used in a Sentence: He ate a slice of humble pie when his science project scored lower than expected. / She ate a slice of humble pie after arguing about the library book title.
Similar Expressions: Face embarrassment / Humble yourself
46. Swallow the bitter pill
Definition: To accept an unpleasant truth or consequence without complaining.
Used in a Sentence: Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow, but the team accepted it. / He had to swallow the bitter pill of getting detention for skipping class.
Similar Expressions: Accept harsh reality / Endure unpleasantness
47. Right the wrong
Definition: To fix a mistake or correct an unfair situation you caused.
Used in a Sentence: She apologized and returned the borrowed pencil to right the wrong. / Helping clean the park was his way to right the wrong he caused.
Similar Expressions: Fix the error / Correct a mistake
48. Put your hands up
Definition: To surrender or acknowledge that you made a mistake.
Used in a Sentence: When the teacher asked who left the door open, he decided to put his hands up. / You should just put your hands up when you get caught breaking a rule.
Similar Expressions: Surrender / Admit guilt
49. Clear the air with someone
Definition: To have an honest conversation to remove bad feelings between people.
Used in a Sentence: She wanted to clear the air with her best friend before the weekend trip. / Talking things out helped them clear the air with someone they argued with.
Similar Expressions: Resolve bad blood / Clear tension
50. Turn a new leaf over
Definition: To start fresh and behave better after making mistakes.
Used in a Sentence: He promised to turn a new leaf over and finish his homework on time. / Starting tomorrow, she plans to turn a new leaf over in art class.
Similar Expressions: Start fresh / Improve behavior
Exercise to Practice
- When you proudly brag about winning a race and then lose, you have to eat humble pie.
- Admitting that you broke your sister’s toy and saying sorry is called eating crow.
- If you ignore your mistakes and pretend they never happened, you are making amends.
- When you tell the complete truth about hiding a test paper, you come clean.
- Taking full responsibility for a group project mistake so your friends do not get in trouble is falling on your sword.
- Offering a peace offering to your classmate after a fight is called extending an olive branch.
- Shaking hands with a rival after a soccer match to end a dispute means you are burying the hatchet.
- If you get caught cheating on a quiz and refuse to accept the penalty, you are facing the music.
- When you take back something mean you said to your brother, you are walking back your words.
- Admitting that you were wrong about a science fact and changing your opinion is eating your words.
- Blaming someone else for a mess you made in the kitchen is an example of owning up.
- Having an honest chat after school to remove bad feelings is clearing the air.
- Making a fresh start and promising to share your toys is turning over a new leaf.
- Forgiving each other after an argument and becoming friends again is called crying over spilled milk.
- Expressing deep regret and writing a letter to say sorry means you are showing remorse.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about saying sorry helps you understand how people express regret, forgiveness, and kindness in English. These expressive phrases give you creative ways to talk about admitting mistakes and fixing relationships.
Try using a few of these expressions when talking to your friends or writing stories at school. You will sound like a thoughtful English speaker when you talk about burying the hatchet or owning up to a mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for saying sorry?
Some of the most popular expressions include eating humble pie, burying the hatchet, and owning up to a mistake. People use these phrases to express regret and mend broken friendships.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language more colorful, creative, and emotionally rich than using plain words. They help us share complex feelings and social situations quickly and memorably.
How can I remember idioms easily?
You can remember idioms best by connecting them to everyday situations like school arguments or family talks. Practicing them in short example sentences also helps them stick in your mind.
Are idioms about saying sorry hard to learn?
They are quite easy to learn because they describe common human feelings and social actions. Visualizing the meaning behind phrases like clearing the air makes them simple to understand.
Can I use these idioms in school writing?
Yes, using these colorful expressions can make your narrative essays and stories much more engaging. Just make sure you use them in the right context so your meaning is clear.
