venial Definition
(of a fault or offense) slight and pardonable.
Using venial: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "venial" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
It was a venial mistake that anyone could have made.
Example
He committed a venial sin by telling a white lie.
Example
The judge considered the crime to be venial and gave a light sentence.
Example
Her venial offense was overlooked due to her otherwise good behavior.
venial Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for venial
Antonyms for venial
Phrases with venial
Example
In Catholicism, lying is considered a venial sin.
Example
His tardiness was seen as a venial fault by his boss.
Example
The teacher overlooked the student's venial offense of forgetting to do their homework.
Origins of venial
from Latin 'venialis', meaning 'pardonable'
Summary: venial in Brief
'Venial' [ˈviːniəl] describes a fault or offense that is slight and pardonable. It can refer to minor mistakes, sins, crimes, or offenses that are easily overlooked or forgiven. Examples include 'It was a venial mistake that anyone could have made.' and 'Her venial offense was overlooked due to her otherwise good behavior.' Synonyms include 'forgivable,' 'excusable,' and 'trivial.'
