reprieve

verb re·prieve \ ri-ˈprēv \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Examples: reprieve in a Sentence

Definition of reprieve

reprieved; reprieving

transitive verb

1 : to delay the punishment of (someone, such as a condemned prisoner)

2 : to give relief or deliverance to for a time

See reprieve defined for English-language learners

See reprieve defined for kids

Examples of reprieve in a Sentence

And many murderers have been reprieved because they were condemned for the wrong murder, quite probably just as many as have been executed for the only murder they did not in fact commit. —Christopher Hitchens, Nation, 14 May 2001
In a postscript to the very same letter, he added, 'If he must die, it were charity to reprieve him till Saturday.' If there had been any doubt of his fate, this weakness and meanness would have settled it. The very next day, which was the twelfth of May, he was brought out to be beheaded on Tower Hill. —Charles Dickens, A Child's History of England, 1854
He was sentenced to death but then reprieved.
The library has been reprieved and will remain open for at least another year.

Recent Examples of reprieve from the Web

Tyner, luckily, was reprieved; such stories aren’t foreign to the longtime Philadelphia radio personality.

— brandon t. harden, Philly.com, "Rare interviews of Run DMC, The Roots, Jay-Z, and others have been unearthed through this Philly radio host's new podcast," 25 Apr. 2018
Reprieved from collapse, the Ottoman Empire’s government pursued radical reforms.

— The Economist, "If the Ottoman Empire had not collapsedHad the Ottoman Empire been saved rather than sunk," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reprieve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of reprieve

probably blend of obsolete repreve to reprove (from Middle English) and obsolete repry to remand, postpone, from Anglo-French repri-, past stem of reprendre to take back

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1596

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

reprieve

noun re·prieve \ ri-ˈprēv \

Definition of reprieve

1 a : the act of reprieving : the state of being reprieved

b : a formal temporary suspension of the execution of a sentence especially of death

2 : an order or warrant for a temporary suspension of the execution of a sentence

3 : a temporary respite (as from pain or trouble)

See reprieve defined for English-language learners

Examples of reprieve in a Sentence

In Baghdad, you learn to savor small pleasures. When the weather turned unexpectedly cool one recent evening … , people emptied out of their houses, braving the ever present threat of violence in order to enjoy a brief reprieve from the heat. —Aparisim Ghosh, Time, 11 July 2005
Six days later Captain Dufranne announced that they would sail early on the morrow. Jane would have begged for a further reprieve, had it not been that she too had begun to believe that her forest lover would return no more. —Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1914
It may be, on the other hand, that the destruction of the Martians is only a reprieve. To them, and not to us, perhaps, is the future ordained. —H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, 1898
That he did not regard it as a desperate case, that he did not say a few hours must end it, was at first felt, beyond the hope of most; and the ecstasy of such a reprieve, the rejoicing, deep and silent, after a few fervent ejaculations of gratitude to Heaven had been offered, may be conceived. —Jane Austen, Persuasion, 1817
Death, that inexorable judge, had passed sentence on him, and refused to grant him a reprieve, though two doctors who arrived, and were fee'd at one and the same instant, were his counsel. —Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, 1749
They wanted to close the library, but we managed to get a reprieve for it.
This warm spell has given us a reprieve from the winter cold.

Recent Examples of reprieve from the Web

While the police appear to have upped enforcement around Orleans Street, the residents of Garden Court have received no such reprieve.

— marc daalder, Detroit Free Press, "Motorcycle engines and blaring boomboxes keep Rivertown up at night," 5 June 2018
Big banks are getting a big reprieve from a post-crisis rule aimed at curbing risky behavior on Wall Street.

— author: emily flitter, alan rappeport, Anchorage Daily News, "Big banks will get a reprieve from a key crisis-era rule that would let them engage in riskier trading," 30 May 2018
Data released this month shows that 64 of the school system’s 3,623 seniors could receive a reprieve because of the legislation.

— perry stein, Washington Post, "Too many absences? It might not be a problem for D.C. students after all.," 29 May 2018
Carl Nassib, defensive end The third-round pick from 2016 got some reprieve when the Browns didn't take Bradley Chubb with the No. 4 pick.

— cleveland.com, "DeShone Kizer as a first-round pick makes sense: Doug Lesmerises 3rd & Short," 12 May 2018
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune dropped $2.5 billion on Tuesday, got a reprieve Thursday as his wealth increased by $5.8 billion, a day after the social network posted better-than-expected results for the first quarter.

— Fortune, "Another $12 Billion: How Jeff Bezos Got a Whole Lot Richer Thursday Afternoon," 27 Apr. 2018
The announcement comes five days before HISD leaders had to submit plans for surrendering control over the campuses in exchange for receiving a two-year reprieve from those potential sanctions.

— jacob carpenter, Houston Chronicle, "Houston ISD nixes partnership plans, risking school closures or state takeover," 25 Apr. 2018
An aging woman who’s lost everything receives a blessed reprieve, in the form of a visitation.

— joan frank, San Francisco Chronicle, "Short stories by Huang, Ausubel, Schutt, McGuane," 16 Mar. 2018
The temporary reprieve on the trade-war front, however, isn't the only thing on the minds of investors.

— adam shell, USA TODAY, "Dow rallies as U.S says trade war with China "on hold"," 21 May 2018

Origin and Etymology of reprieve

see ¹reprieve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1552

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

REPRIEVE Defined for English Language Learners

reprieve

verb

Definition of reprieve for English Language Learners

: to delay the punishment of (someone, such as a prisoner who is sentenced to death)
: to prevent (something) from being closed, destroyed, etc., for a period of time

reprieve

noun

Definition of reprieve for English Language Learners

: an official order that delays the punishment of a prisoner who is sentenced to death
: a delay that keeps something bad from happening
: a period of relief from pain, trouble, etc.

REPRIEVE Defined for Kids

reprieve

verb re·prieve \ ri-ˈprēv \

Definition of reprieve for Students

reprieved; reprieving

1 : to delay something (as the punishment of a prisoner sentenced to die)

2 : to give relief to

We were reprieved when a storm closed school on test day.

reprieve

noun

Definition of reprieve for Students

1 : the act of postponing something

2 : a temporary relief

Rain brought a reprieve from the heat.

Law Dictionary

reprieve

transitive verb re·prieve \ ri-ˈprēv \

legal Definition of reprieve

reprieved; reprieving

: to delay the punishment of (as a condemned prisoner)

Origin and Etymology of reprieve

alteration of earlier repry to send back (to prison), return to custody, perhaps from Anglo-French repris, past participle of reprendre to take back, from Old French