--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you apologize then follow with an…" description: "\"If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're ruining your apology.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg" --- # If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're… ![“If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're ruining your apology.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg) > “If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're ruining your apology.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Apologies lose credibility when paired with excuses, as they shift focus from responsibility to justification. **In simple terms:** Excuses undermine apologies. Key Takeaway Own the mistake without deflecting. Themes communication integrity responsibility Mood regretful reflective Type advice ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace conflicts - public statements Key Concepts accountability self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - When have you used an excuse after apologizing? - How did it affect the outcome? A Different Perspective Excuses may be seen as partial honesty, reducing trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuses/) ## Related quotes > [I am too stubborn to forget and you are too proud to apologize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-too-stubborn-to-forget-and-you-are-too-proud-to-apologize/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-when-you-can-apologize-when-you-should-and-let-go-of-what-you-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's unfair. Sometimes we apologize when we know were right, just because we don't wanna hurt their feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-s-unfair-sometimes-we-apologize-when-we-know-were-right-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am tired of apologizing for the things I didn't do and to the people who don't deserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-tired-of-apologizing-for-the-things-i-didn-t-do-and-to-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't apologize if you're just gonna continue doing the things you're sorry for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-apologize-if-you-re-just-gonna-continue-doing-the-things-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I apologize if you felt that I was being mean with my answer. I wasnt. Its just that I am a straight forward person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-apologize-if-you-felt-that-i-was-being-mean-with-my-answer-i-wasnt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just wrote an apologize letter to Karma and she wrote back, 'Fuck you.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-wrote-an-apologize-letter-to-karma-and-she-wrote-back-fuck-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I only apologize when I'm wrong. Never for being me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-apologize-when-i-m-wrong-never-for-being-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If ive ever beefed with you or am beefing with you on my part, I'm sorry. Life is too short for all this and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-ive-ever-beefed-with-you-or-am-beefing-with-you-on-my-part-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You just can't apologize for being you nor for your emotional self, nor for your intellectual self, nor for spiritual self, nor for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-just-can-t-apologize-for-being-you-nor-for-your-emotional-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry you broke my heart¦and Im not apologizing to you, I just want you to witness as I apologize to myself for giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-you-broke-my-heart-and-im-not-apologizing-to-you-i-just-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not going to apologize for the way I've led my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-the-way-i-ve-led-my-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Apologize quotes > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [“Sorry I wish you could apologize to something you broke and it brings it back to what it was without losing its core I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rania-naim/sorry-i-wish-you-could-apologize-to-something-you-broke-and-it-brings/) Rania Naim > [I'm sorry I want to apologize for being careless and hurting your feelings. Please forgive me ! I'm a jerk your friendship means a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/i-m-sorry-i-want-to-apologize-for-being-careless-and-hurting-your/) Unkown > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [To truly repent of a big thing, you have to go into it with your heart open and force yourself to deal with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/to-truly-repent-of-a-big-thing-you-have-to-go-into-it-with-your-heart/) [Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) Marilyn Tavenner > [“When someone says that it's too late for apologize when you have to do it anyway because it's your duty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-teris-bit-ns/when-someone-says-that-it-s-too-late-for-apologize-when-you-have-to/) [Pēteris Bitāns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-teris-bit-ns/) > [Life is short so, kiss slowly, forgive quickly, and love deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney/life-is-short-so-kiss-slowly-forgive-quickly-and-love-deeply/) [Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney/) > [Life is too short to worry about stupid things. Have fun, fall in love, and regret nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/life-is-too-short-to-worry-about-stupid-things-have-fun-fall-in-love/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I ain't never going to apologize for a 21-point win over a state rival, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-ain-t-never-going-to-apologize-for-a-21-point-win-over-a-state/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) Browse all 900 Apologize quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're ruining your apology.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-excuse-you-re-ruining-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologize" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-excuse-you-re-ruining-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/anonymous-1_apologize_if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-exc_170812.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you apologize then follow with an excuse, you're ruining your apology.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you apologize then follow with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-excuse-you-re-ruining-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-apologize-then-follow-with-an-excuse-you-re-ruining-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```