- 1willing to forgive She had not inherited her mother's forgiving nature. forgiving of something The public was more forgiving of the president's difficulties than the press and fellow politicians.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- 2forgiving (of something) (of a method, tool, or material) that works well, even when you do not follow it perfectly or treat it very well These flooring planks are more durable and forgiving of heavy traffic than real wood.
Check pronunciation: forgiving