commutation

noun

com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 

-yü-

1

: exchange, trade

2

: replacement

specifically : a substitution of one form of payment or charge for another

a commutation by money payment for the exacted service

3

: a change of a legal penalty or punishment to a lesser one

commutation of a death sentence

4

: an act or process of commuting

… a ridge of hills makes daily commutation to San Francisco arduous.

—The New York Times

5

: the action of commutating

Synonyms

• back-and-forth
• barter
• dicker
• exchange
• quid pro quo
• swap
• trade
• trade-off
• truck

Examples of commutation in a Sentence

He appealed for a commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.

an international commutation of food for oil

Recent Examples on the Web

But presidents don't always align pardons with their departures: Reagan issued around 8% of his pardons during his final three and a half months in the White House, granting over half of his pardons and commutations in his first four years. —Avery Lotz, Axios, 13 July 2024

In the absence of any real evidence of abuse—indeed, in the face of compelling evidence to the contrary—the calls for commutation and outright amnesty grew in volume. —Lawrence Douglas, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2017

May 15, 2019: The Executive Council voted to deny Smart of a commutation hearing, according to WMUR. —Christina Zdanowicz, CNN, 12 June 2024

This is the fourth time Smart has sought a commutation. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 11 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English commutacion, from Anglo-French, from Latin commutation-, commutatio, from commutare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commutation

• commutation ticket

Kids Definition

commutation

noun

com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: exchange entry 1 sense 2, replacement

2

: a reduction of a legal penalty

3

: an act of commuting

4

: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit