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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Nearly a dozen letters were sent to the court at the end of August, pleading for the judge to show mercy for Erickson, who was the last person to reach a deal with prosecutors.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Misinterpret a flawed trial, overtrust anecdotal experience or trust the wrong person, and patients are left at the mercy of ineffective or even harmful treatments.—
Anna Forsythe,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
His defense attorney at the time, Brooke Wells, argued for leniency, saying that Menzies had a long history of being abused and neglected as a child and had been diagnosed with mental disorders, the Tribune reported.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenience. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share