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
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Recent Examples of lenient
Jones rejected his plea deal on July 2, 2024, for being too lenient for stalking and shooting a woman 4-5 times in November 2022, which sparked the tirade, court documents allege.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
Others have criticized the White House for taking a vindictive approach and targeting Democratic states that may have larger Medicaid populations and more lenient eligibility requirements.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The lenient return policy is a major perk of being a member.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Even that punishment would be too lenient.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
Others have criticized the White House for taking a vindictive approach and targeting Democratic states that may have larger Medicaid populations and more lenient eligibility requirements.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The lenient return policy is a major perk of being a member.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Even that punishment would be too lenient.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
-
The movement’s professional class repeats it more or less daily on social media and in its network of sympathetic publications.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
-
This sends a signal along sensory nerve fibers to the autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic branch, which is the same system that regulates your heart rate, sweat response and pupil dilation.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Private feelings bump into plans as compassionate Venus moves through your 12th House of Solitude and squares structured Saturn in your 9th House of Higher Learning.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
Vegan eating offers a practical, compassionate way forward that is better for animals, and better for the planet and public health.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
The tears flowed on and off the pitch at the opening friendly against Preston North End.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
The service Expect friendly, warm service from the spunky staff, plus a sense of freedom to do your thing.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
That painful night in Dallas now feels merciful, compared with what this Avs team just experienced.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
27 May 2026
-
As the sun began to peek over the hillside, offering a merciful burst of warmth, Alonso Abugattas called this year’s Trillium Trek to order.—
Ashley Stimpson,
Washington Post,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
While energy exports dominate national security briefings, agricultural inputs operate on a different and less forgiving timeline.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Mercedes says the sedan has a range of 435 miles on the forgiving WLTP test cycle, which means likely means an EPA estimate closer to 300 miles.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
The temptation to go with Krick’s more pleasant (and somehow more spiritually American) forecast is obviously great.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
Walker Buehler has been a pleasant and necessary surprise, even providing the Padres with the occasional quality start.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, product liability lawsuits alleging patient injuries have been filed overwhelmingly against pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which manufacture name-brand weight loss drugs, court data shows.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
That proximity to the patient experience is not just a moral argument.—
Christine Schuster,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
This use of the collective is different from The Daughter Industry in that the demand on it is less gentle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
Instead, Pagano and Dozier suggest having gentle, boundary-setting conversations that might encourage a loved one to address their hoarding habits.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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