venial

[ˈviːniəl]

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

• forgivable
• excusable
• minor
• slight
• trivial

Antonyms for venial

• unforgivable
• inexcusable
• serious

Phrases with venial

• venial sin

  a sin that is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace

  Example

  In Catholicism, lying is considered a venial sin.

• venial fault

  a minor or trivial fault

  Example

  His tardiness was seen as a venial fault by his boss.

• venial offense

  a minor or trivial offense

  Example

  The teacher overlooked the student's venial offense of forgetting to do their homework.

Origins of venial

from Latin 'venialis', meaning 'pardonable'

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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.'