verb

• 1Accept (behaviour that is considered morally wrong or offensive)

  ‘the college cannot condone any behaviour that involves illicit drugs’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The complainants objected that the advertisements were offensive and condoned violent and anti-social behaviour.’
  • ‘Quickly becoming public enemy No1 for condoning Roy Keane's behaviour, Dunphy predicted Ireland were not good enough and at half-time warned of more goals against.’
  • ‘‘Obviously this sort of behaviour should not be condoned,’ he said.’
  • ‘Yes, he did go over the top and such behaviour cannot be condoned, though in the circumstances it is hardly to be wondered at.’
  • ‘The concept of secrets leads on to group behaviours that are condoned but not desirable.’
  • ‘We're never asked to identify with Walter, to fully understand his impulses, or condone his past behaviour.’
  • ‘This type of behaviour can never be condoned and the match officials must ensure that a repeat of such behaviour will never happen again.’
  • ‘How can a club promote acceptance and anti - racism if - though not openly condoning his behaviour - they are willing to pay his wages and the best part of £4 million for his services?’
  • ‘If people are attracted into a particular structure and the structure allows and condones criminal behaviour, when does that cross over into actually being a criminal organisation?’
  • ‘She was not condoning loutish behaviour, but expressing concern for the much-vaunted evening economy - a favourite phrase I believe, of Bolton Council.’
  • ‘I am not condoning the behaviour of these ignorant people, but merely discussing some of the reasons for this behaviour.’
  • ‘We are appalled at the irresponsible attitude you have displayed in condoning such anti-social behaviour.’
  • ‘It is not desirable, but while not condoning the behaviour you try and counsel her and direct her to the parents.’
  • ‘But, Dylan asks, why do some Catholics think this means that the Church condones their worldly behaviour?’
  • ‘A prime minister who condones that behaviour or who does not realise it is happening diminishes himself and his government.’
  • ‘Unfortunately, this behaviour is condoned by almost everyone.’
  • ‘Although we can't condone such fraudulent behaviour, it must come as a relief to his family to see him in gainful employment at last.’
  • ‘No matter where you are from, you cannot condone this behaviour.’

  Synonyms

  deliberately ignore, not take into consideration, disregard, take no notice of, take no account of, accept, allow, make allowances for, let pass, turn a blind eye to, overlook, forget, wink at, blink at, connive at

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  1. 1.1Approve or sanction (something), especially with reluctance.
     ‘those arrested were released and the exhibition was officially condoned a few weeks later’
     More example sentences

     • ‘A former CIA director has exclusively told ITV News that torture is condoned and even approved by HIS government.’
     • ‘This was not a school agreed protest and we did not sanction this or condone it in any way.’
     • ‘The same would apply to members of other parties who deny that they approved of or condoned the deeds done by their members.’
     • ‘Only with great reluctance does Moses condone the possible introduction of a monarchy in the future.’
     • ‘The report reluctantly condones car sharing, provided that the subjects of this report - the so-called socially excluded - don't own one themselves.’
     • ‘As president, Jefferson authorized or condoned a variety of federal aids to religion.’
     • ‘Equally, I do not condone the supply of arms to such regimes, sanctioned by our own successive governments.’
     • ‘Officials have declared that the memo had no practical impact on interrogation techniques, and the president himself made a direct statement denying ever authorizing or condoning the use of torture.’
     • ‘Several Taiwanese businessmen who work there condemned the authorities yesterday for apparently condoning crimes against them.’
     • ‘The difference is with a spiral approach, the program expects, plans, and condones different configurations, allowing capability to be fielded more quickly.’
     • ‘The carnage was tacitly condoned by public officials and law enforcement officers.’
     • ‘‘Regardless of whether he is a professional there is no way that sort of behaviour should be condoned,’ he said.’
     • ‘We don't often condone active political behaviour here at Directory but the least you can do is be part of the election.’
     • ‘Indeed, if painlessly killing and eating the explorer were the only way for the family to survive, then perhaps this action would be morally condoned.’
     • ‘However, it did find that the state was in no way complicit in, nor did it encourage or condone, such behaviour.’
     • ‘Most such marriages, however irregular their original arrangements, were sooner or later accepted and sometimes even condoned by the king.’
     • ‘And indeed, the applicant in this case, one of the fundamental claims in this case was by the applicant, that the Ukraine State was positively condoning such behaviour that had been inflicted upon him.’
     • ‘What indeed - there's nothing in journalism's unwritten Geneva Convention that condones such behaviour.’
     • ‘The King himself condoned extramarital behaviour and had at least one lover of whom his wife was well aware.’
     Synonyms

     approve, sanction, give the stamp of approval to, underwrite, condone, justify, vindicate, endorse, support, back, ratify, confirm, warrant, permit, allow, accredit, authorize, legitimize, legitimatize

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