made me apologize

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "made me apologize" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a situation where someone or something compelled you to express regret or remorse for an action or statement. Example: "The teacher made me apologize to my classmate for my rude comments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

My mother made me apologize.

The New Yorker

My mother made me apologize and return it, and I cried a lot.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

You want to make me apologize for all the other girls who didn't like you.

The New Yorker

When I told her, she called the boy's mother to apologize and made me return all the money.

The New York Times

"I'm awful, I know," she apologized, but she made me laugh.

The New York Times - Magazine

Personally, I've never known a wine to make me want to apologize for existing.

The New York Times - Books

But The Bourne Legacy makes me want to apologize for every mean thing I ever said about The Bourne Ultimatum.

Huffington Post

Humble yourself and apologize sincerely, without making excuses or justifications like "I'm sorry you made me angry".

WikiHow

"Gross," she said, and then, later, on the way to rehearsal, "You really thought that would make me feel better?" I apologized for the apology.

The New Yorker

Like, "...if you say something offensive, you should have to apologize to make me feel better because I'm entitled to feel comfortable in this space".

Huffington Post

So you can imagine my surprise when I received a flurry of emails from Matt and the girls apologizing for making me sad.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "made me apologize" to clearly indicate that someone or something influenced your decision to express remorse, especially when you want to emphasize external influence.

Common error

Avoid using "made me apologize" excessively in the passive voice. While grammatically correct, overuse can make your writing sound weak or evasive. Instead, consider using active voice constructions to show direct responsibility or action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made me apologize" functions as a verb phrase indicating causation or influence. It describes a situation where someone was compelled or directed to express remorse. Ludwig confirms this as a usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Science

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "made me apologize" is a grammatically correct and commonly used verb phrase that indicates someone or something caused the speaker to express remorse. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid and usable phrase in written English. Usage ranges from informal to neutral registers, with primary contexts being news, media and wiki. While it is advisable to avoid overuse of passive voice constructions, this phrase is suitable to emphasize external influence. Alternative expressions include "forced me to apologize" or "compelled me to apologize", offering variations in emphasis and tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

forced me to apologize

Emphasizes the lack of choice in apologizing.

compelled me to apologize

Highlights the sense of obligation to apologize.

required me to apologize

Focuses on a rule or requirement to apologize.

caused me to apologize

Shows that the speaker apologize as a consequence of an event or action.

led me to apologize

Highlights the path to the apology.

prompted me to apologize

Emphasizes the initiation of the apology.

induced me to apologize

Focuses on the influence that prompted the apology.

obliged me to apologize

Stresses the duty to apologize.

pressured me to apologize

Highlights the sense of external pressure to apologize.

manipulated me into apologizing

Indicates a more negative, coercive scenario.

FAQs

How can I use "made me apologize" in a sentence?

You can use "made me apologize" to indicate that someone or something influenced you to express remorse, as in "My mother "made me apologize" for my rude behavior".

What are some alternatives to "made me apologize"?

You can use alternatives like "forced me to apologize", "compelled me to apologize", or "required me to apologize" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "I apologized" or "they made me apologize"?

Saying "I apologized" shows direct responsibility. Saying "they "made me apologize"" emphasizes external influence or pressure.

What does it mean when someone says "they made me apologize"?

It typically means that someone else influenced or pressured them to express remorse, even if they didn't necessarily feel they were in the wrong.