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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What’s more, the questionable financial literacy and investment skills of most Americans leaves them at the mercy of providers of financial services and products of all kinds.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
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Adding someone via trade is also an option, but the Yankees and Brian Cashman would then be at the mercy of another general manager.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tottleben had a tumultuous upbringing, according to friends who wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency last year in his federal sentence.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
22 Oct. 2025
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Trump’s leniency toward dubious white-collar figures also extends well beyond the crypto realm.—
Evan Hughes,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenience. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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