commutation

noun

com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce commutation (audio)
-yü-
1
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nor has any death row prisoner received a commutation since Bob Graham granted one for the last time in 1983. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025 Additional commutations and pardons included Hunter Biden associate Jason Galanis, Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson, and former Arkansas state Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, according to CBS News. Peter Aitken alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025 Joe Sotelo Joe Sotelo received commutation of his life sentence. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 29 May 2025 Among those who received commutations was Refugio Castillo. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for commutation

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of commutation was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commutation. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

commutation

noun
com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce commutation (audio)
1
2
: a reduction of a legal penalty
3
: an act of commuting
4
: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit

More from Merriam-Webster on commutation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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