lenient

adjective

Definition of lenientnext
as in sympathetic
allowing a lot of freedom and not punishing bad behavior in a strong way a teacher who is lenient with students who have misbehaved The public was outraged by the lenient sentence the corrupt banker received.

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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 lenient The bot’s lenient management decisions, plus a questionable business sense, are surely contributing to its losses. — Billy Perrigo, Time, 14 Aug. 2026 No court in the land would ever be so lenient as to lop off almost two-thirds of a punishment this way. — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 Historically, permitting these units was lenient given the rarity of their use. — Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 In what proved a more lenient ruling than some feared, the court fined Nadezhdin 1,000 rubles ($12) and set him free. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
  1. sympathetic
  2. compassionate
  3. friendly
  4. merciful
  5. forgiving
  6. pleasant
  7. patient
  8. gentle
Adjective
  • The entire cast is well chosen, with nice turns also from Katherine Waterston as the somewhat sympathetic Countess, Jonny Lee Miller as Mayor Walworth, and Sky Yang as Scribe, among others.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, gathering in sympathetic support outside a courthouse will not fix anything.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sympathetic
Adjective
  • The program, also known as compassionate use, is a regulatory pathway that helps dying patients get unproven drugs outside of a clinical trial.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • While everyone else seemed to be compassionate and understanding, David sometimes was not.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of compassionate
Adjective
  • For our annual Fall Arts preview, The Charlotte Observer spoke to leaders at 11 organizations to hear their family-friendly recommendations as the 2026-27 arts season begins.
    — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Pilot's seat aside, there are several other play-friendly features.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of friendly
Adjective
  • Soon, an Angels’ season filled with firings, turmoil and loss after loss after loss will come to its merciful conclusion.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • God did not punish him intensely, but only from time to time and in a merciful way.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of merciful
Adjective
  • For people feeling strapped by steep costs, the 60/30/10 budget can offer a more forgiving framework to follow.
    — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike some long-distance trails that offer extended stretches of relatively forgiving terrain, the AT spends much of its length going relentlessly up and down the Appalachian Mountains.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of forgiving
Adjective
  • Walk-in closets are a pleasant surprise, and the marble bathrooms have soaking tubs and showers with excellent water pressure, and a stash of Molton Brown toiletries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The stadium hasn’t sold out since Opening Day, but the steady stream of out-of-state fans coming to celebrate the return of women’s pro baseball has been one of the many pleasant surprises of the WPBL’s opening season.
    — Emily Ohman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of pleasant
Adjective
  • After going behind early to a Kai Havertz goal, PSG had to remain patient, before gradually asserting their authority in the contest.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • His comments were widely interpreted as advocating a rate hike, though several key officials over the past few weeks have counseled a more patient approach.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of patient
Adjective
  • Hypoallergenic Clean Correction Firming Eye Cream is a deeply nourishing, gentle yet effective eye cream formulated to visibly firm, brighten and reduce crow's feet, lines and wrinkles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The film begins with the gentle scratch of a pen drawing, and throughout, Kore-eda remains attuned to the sounds of the world around these girls.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of gentle

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Cite this Entry

“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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