| Contrition 1. (n.) The act of grinding or ribbing to powder; attrition; friction; rubbing. 2. (n.) The state of being contrite; deep sorrow and repentance for sin, because sin is displeasing to God; humble penitence; through repentance. Thesaurus Entries abject apology, acknowledgment, apologies, apology, attrition, ayenbite of inwit, bitterness, breast-beating, compunction, confession, contriteness, excuse, grief, mea culpa, penance, penitence, penitently, regret, regretfulness, regrets, regretting, remorse, remorse of conscience, remorsefulness, repentance, repining, rue, ruth, shame, shamefacedness, shamefastness, shamefulness, sorriness, sorrow, wistfulness |