venial

venial, pardonable are applied to faults, sins, or errors and mean of such a character as not to warrant punishment or the imposition of a penalty.

Venial in most use implies an opposition to grave, serious, or grievous

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he had learned to see what was really criminal in what he had done, and what was venial— Trollope

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and in theological use to mortal (see mortal under DEADLY); consequently it often means trifling, not willful, or harmless

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the fastidious could carp at many minor slips or infelicities; but they seem fairly venial—R. H. Bowers

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the venial indiscretions of youth— Southey

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[Esperanto's] flaws, which are obvious, are venial compared with those of the best natural languages— Guérard

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Pardonable implies that such excuse or justification may be offered for the fault or error that it is not worthy of consideration

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her heart innocent of the most pardonable guile— Conrad

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able to add, with pardonable pride, "it was a costly and a noble act"— Coulton

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Antonyms: heinous: mortal (in Roman Catholic theology)