as in pardons
release from the guilt or penalty of an offense
the president of France traditionally grants amnesty to specially selected prisoners on Bastille Day
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Recent Examples of amnesties
Mass amnesties to mark holidays are not unusual in Myanmar.
—
ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Even in its ideal form, the bureaucratic pardon would not possess the political legitimacy to undertake large-scale reform or grant broader amnesties.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Washington hopes to push a process of national reconciliation, including amnesties for opposition figures, the release of remaining political prisoners and the return of Venezuelans in exile — issues of particular importance to South Florida’s large Venezuelan diaspora.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Even in its ideal form, the bureaucratic pardon would not possess the political legitimacy to undertake large-scale reform or grant broader amnesties.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Washington hopes to push a process of national reconciliation, including amnesties for opposition figures, the release of remaining political prisoners and the return of Venezuelans in exile — issues of particular importance to South Florida’s large Venezuelan diaspora.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amnesties
pardons
Noun
-
Not everyone who posts will end up behind bars and many cases end with pardons.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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About 15 of the 22 people on the list had sought pardons, and six were engaged in litigation, the official said.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amnesties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amnesties. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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