Saying you're sorry for something you did wrong; expressing regret or seeking forgiveness.
From Greek 'apologia' (defense, justification) + '-ize' (to make). Originally meant 'to speak in defense' before shifting to mean expressing regret, probably through religious confession traditions.
Research shows that a good apology has specific elements—acknowledging what you did, showing understanding of impact, and promising change—but most people only do 1 or 2 of these, which is why apologies often feel incomplete to the hurt person.
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