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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Recent Examples of lenient
Camargo acknowledged that lenient sentences have encouraged armed groups to recruit minors to commit crimes.
—
Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
In January 2023, Price rode into office on a broad progressive platform that sought shorter prison sentences, alternatives to prison and more lenient prosecutions of young defendants as a means to combat the nation’s legacy of mass incarceration.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Indeed, that is the key reason to implement a tariff in the first place: to protect domestic businesses, especially when foreign players operate under conditions that the domestic producers simply cannot compete with, such as more lenient safety standards and no minimum wages.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2025
The decision came eight months after the court rejected a more lenient agreement between Levey Cohen and the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, which polices the behavior of judges on and off the bench.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Manuel Rueda, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
In January 2023, Price rode into office on a broad progressive platform that sought shorter prison sentences, alternatives to prison and more lenient prosecutions of young defendants as a means to combat the nation’s legacy of mass incarceration.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Indeed, that is the key reason to implement a tariff in the first place: to protect domestic businesses, especially when foreign players operate under conditions that the domestic producers simply cannot compete with, such as more lenient safety standards and no minimum wages.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 June 2025
The decision came eight months after the court rejected a more lenient agreement between Levey Cohen and the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, which polices the behavior of judges on and off the bench.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
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But even with these musicians and Boyd’s sympathetic production, the sessions were fraught.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
5 July 2025
-
The president has vacillated in recent months between deporting all individuals who are in the country illegally and being sympathetic to farmers and hospitality executives who rely on such migrant workers for labor.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Doctor providing compassionate healthcare consultation while young couple patient holding hand, comfort each other after infertile report.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
Empathy enhances your conversations as Mercury aligns with compassionate Neptune.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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A week filled with fun videos of puppies trying to master the stairs and a friendly doggy neighbor making his rounds brightened our social media timelines, but a few of our readers' pet videos and pictures stood out.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
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This is a guide that is both a friendly flower refresher course for the veteran gardener and a wonderful introduction to flowers for the novice.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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The stoppage in the 11th round was a merciful one from Barrera’s corner.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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If 10 percent of people are going to be cruel no matter what and 10 percent will be merciful no matter what, then the greatest battle of our lives, the real one, is not good versus evil.—
Stephanie Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike in previous offseasons, the NHL system in an era of cap growth should theoretically be more forgiving for the NHL’s 32 member clubs.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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Judy is one of the best, and shooting on film is also a lot more forgiving.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Quiet and largely seasonably pleasant weather will settle across the Kansas City area on Tuesday, giving the metro a break from the heat and storms of the past few days, according to the National Weather Service.—
Robert A. Cronkleton,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2025
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The average temperature is a pleasant 56°F (13°C), with warm summers and cool winters.—
Kathleen Peddicord,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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This might include board compositions that balance quarterly oversight with generational strategy, compensation systems that reward long-term value creation, and communication strategies that educate the different stakeholders about the value of patient capital.—
Esade Business & Law School,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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The Spurs are nothing if not the most patient organization in the league.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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The sunrise alarm clock gradually brightens your room with a simulated sunrise for a gentle wake-up.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
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Hand wash with gentle soap and cold water, avoiding soaking, and use a mesh bag if machine washing is necessary.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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