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
But the timing windows on parries remain very lenient, and health pickups are plentiful.
—
Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 26 May 2026
Another tenant paying market rate, the suggestion seemed to go, might not be as lenient as Lyle.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 20 May 2026
The parents also are concerned about whether discipline was issued fairly, claiming students from wealthy families or who are related to school employees received lenient punishments.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 12 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
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 26 May 2026
Another tenant paying market rate, the suggestion seemed to go, might not be as lenient as Lyle.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 20 May 2026
The parents also are concerned about whether discipline was issued fairly, claiming students from wealthy families or who are related to school employees received lenient punishments.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 12 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
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
-
Workplaces 'rarely make room' for grief The managers at the next company seemed sympathetic.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Considerably more sympathetic to her plight is Melanie Saunders (Graynor), a high-minded acting teacher whose intensive Act One studio Hannah chances upon while researching her favorite young actress, Gracie Thomas (Tavi Gevinson), online.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Family remembers Nazir Bell Bell's family described him as a bright and compassionate young man with a promising future.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
Plenty of evangelical pastors, writers, and advocates have called for and modelled a more compassionate and inclusive faith.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Strawberry Music Festival is a family-friendly bluegrass music fest held over several days in Grass Valley.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
-
The campsite is a budget-friendly way to spend a few nights in the area, a wonderful addition given the more luxe vibe of the other spaces that makes this property feel like a real community.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 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
-
But this style of gardening is very forgiving.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 June 2026
-
Anytime goalscorer This is the more forgiving cousin of first goalscorer.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Founded by Marc-André Roy and Jared Etzel in 2012, Domaine Roy & Fils is known for its elegant interpretations of Burgundy-style Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, so this complex but somewhat lighthearted rosé comes as a pleasant surprise.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
-
Beautiful Friday evening in Baltimore Temperatures will cool back into the 70s after sunset, with a pleasant breeze and low humidity - beautiful for the opening evening of AFRAM.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The clinic offers Sapphire FUE and DHI procedures and has built a strong English-language patient pipeline targeting European and American travelers.—
Ascend Agency,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
-
Be patient because borax works slowly, though effectively.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Bemotrizinol is gentle enough to use on children as young as 6 months, according to the FDA, and has lower levels of absorption through the skin and into the body.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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During the Sudanese civil war, South Sudan’s elephant population plummeted from 100,000 to 5,000 over three decades, as herds of gentle bystanders got caught in the crossfire.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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