commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 
-yü-
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
The New York Times5
: the action of commutating
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
The President, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
The president has the right under the Constitution for pardon and commutation, of course.
—ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Karl noted how Santos is one of many former congressmen to either be pardoned or receive clemency, prompting Johnson to point to former President Joe Biden’s mass pardons and commutations.
—Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Oct. 2025
The commutation does not erase his conviction but reduces the punishment, allowing Santos to walk free while retaining a criminal record.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
The president has the right under the Constitution for pardon and commutation, of course.
—ABC News, 19 Oct. 2025
Karl noted how Santos is one of many former congressmen to either be pardoned or receive clemency, prompting Johnson to point to former President Joe Biden’s mass pardons and commutations.
—Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Oct. 2025
The commutation does not erase his conviction but reduces the punishment, allowing Santos to walk free while retaining a criminal record.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
Cite this Entry
“Commutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commutation. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən
2
: a reduction of a legal penalty
3
: an act of commuting
4
: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit
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