reprieve

verb

re·​prieve ri-ˈprēv 

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

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 on the Web

In goal, Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale were rotated and jettisoned and reprieved, meaning that at each end of the pitch, Newcastle had a dearth of continuity and reliability. —George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 May 2026

The sanction reprieves are aimed at easing oil prices by at least temporarily boosting supply. —Joe Walsh, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026

Then, Bill Clinton offered 11th-hour reprieves to his half brother Roger and Democrat superdonor Marc Rich. —Willem Marx, Vanity Fair, 18 Feb. 2026

The record investment in lobbying reflects the scale of disruption under the Trump administration, which has upended traditional levers of influence, demanding drugmakers negotiate deals directly with the White House to lower prices in exchange for tariff reprieves. —Ed Silverman, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for reprieve

• achieve
• believe
• conceive
• deceive
• naive
• perceive
• receive
• relieve
• retrieve
• breve
• cleave
• cleeve

Kids Definition

reprieve

1 of 2 verb

re·​prieve ri-ˈprēv 

reprieved; reprieving

1

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

2

: to give relief or deliverance to for a time

reprieve

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the act of reprieving : the state of being reprieved

b

: a postponing of a prison or death sentence

2

: a temporary escape (as from pain or trouble)

Legal Definition

reprieve

1 of 2 transitive verb

re·​prieve ri-ˈprēv 

reprieved; reprieving

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

reprieve

2 of 2 noun

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 as an act of clemency

2

: an order or warrant of reprieve

Etymology

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