When you apologize for doing something wrong, that’s an act of atonement . Many religions have rituals of atonement , such as Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement , on which people of the Jewish faith repent for their sins. Atonement is a profound and multifaceted concept in the Bible, representing reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoration between God and humanity. This article will explore the biblical meaning of atonement , its symbolism, cultural context, and biblical references, as well as its spiritual importance in our lives. The meaning of ATONEMENT is reparation for an offense or injury : satisfaction. How to use atonement in a sentence. Atonement is the act of showing you are sorry for doing something wrong in the past. Learn how to pronounce, use and translate this word with Oxford's online dictionary.