love the sinner, hate the sin
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
One should not treat people badly because of their faults, but one should not go so far as to accept or approve the faults themselves.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “love the sinner, hate the sin” mean?
One should not treat people badly because of their faults, but one should not go so far as to accept or approve the faults themselves.
Is “love the sinner, hate the sin” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.