preapology

plural preapologies · alternative pre-apology

1. An apology in advance; an apology before the fact.

   A common “pre-apology” occurs when people “apologize” in anticipation of leaving a meeting early.

   2004, Aaron Lazare, On Apology, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 172

   1 more example

   However, I am informed that Gazette readers were greeted with a somewhat similar pre-apology by Justice when he first put pen to paper in the capacity of what he calls scribe, […]

   1916, D. Emery, The Seventh Regiment Gazette,, volume 31, page 141