as in mercy
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
a judge's reputation for lenience towards first-time criminals
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Recent Examples of lenience
Dunn famously forgave his attacker, asking for lenience at his federal trial.
—
Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Trilogy pulled through because of customers who went out of their way to support the business and order food to-go, the landlord’s lenience with rent, the PPP funding, its outdoor space and the health focus of her business at a time when health was on everyone’s mind.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025
Conservative applicants also voiced concern about liberal LGBTQ laws and lenience on crime.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Experts say this level of lenience can lead to rebellion, risk-prone temperament, and unhealthy habits.
—Zara Hanawalt, Parents, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lenience
Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Trilogy pulled through because of customers who went out of their way to support the business and order food to-go, the landlord’s lenience with rent, the PPP funding, its outdoor space and the health focus of her business at a time when health was on everyone’s mind.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025
Conservative applicants also voiced concern about liberal LGBTQ laws and lenience on crime.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Experts say this level of lenience can lead to rebellion, risk-prone temperament, and unhealthy habits.
—Zara Hanawalt, Parents, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lenience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenience
Noun
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On paper, this one would go to Washington by a mercy-rule final score.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In a proffer, a defendant usually provides information to prosecutors in exchange for a plea deal or leniency.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
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Hawthorne’s family speaks Hawthorne’s mother, Vonda Hawthorne, and a family friend also spoke on his behalf, asking the judge to consider some leniency in his sentencing.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenience. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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