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.
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 lenient
Dozens of shops continued or opened unlicensed, while the city was criticized as being too lenient and slow in its enforcement.
—
Anna Spiegel, Axios, 24 Apr. 2025
Any hazardous dirt in California must be trucked there, or exported to landfills in neighboring states that rely on the more lenient federal standards.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
While collaborative frameworks can foster innovation and flexibility, overly lenient or ambitious regulatory environments risk enabling greenwashing and superficial compliance.
—Ali Hoss, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Numerous sources say such tariffs, depending upon how they were calculated, could devastate the film industry, along with television, considering how many shows and movies are shot overseas because of more lenient tax breaks and production incentives.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Anna Spiegel, Axios, 24 Apr. 2025
Any hazardous dirt in California must be trucked there, or exported to landfills in neighboring states that rely on the more lenient federal standards.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
While collaborative frameworks can foster innovation and flexibility, overly lenient or ambitious regulatory environments risk enabling greenwashing and superficial compliance.
—Ali Hoss, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Numerous sources say such tariffs, depending upon how they were calculated, could devastate the film industry, along with television, considering how many shows and movies are shot overseas because of more lenient tax breaks and production incentives.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
-
The Supreme Court appeared sympathetic to the parents during oral arguments in March and seemed inclined to require that public schools give parents the ability to opt their children out of instruction featuring the books.—
Melissa Quinn
June 9,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
-
Two years ago, a tragedy caught the world’s attention … but not in a particularly sympathetic way.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Seek out people who are compassionate and who have your back.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 June 2025
-
That’s why taking a holistic, compassionate approach to dealing with these issues is crucial.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
The family friendly festival from noon to 6:30 p.m. will feature bands performing Americana, rock, hip hop, blues and folk.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 June 2025
-
During public remarks in 2022, Justice Elena Kagan – one of the court’s three liberal justices − spoke out against sweeping injunctions and the ability of challengers to find one friendly judge to issue such an order.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The Celtics met a merciful end at Madison Square Garden last night, 119-81, and now have a lot to figure out: Tatum will miss a consequential period in his career.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
Prosecutors were less forgiving of McIver, who was filmed clashing with officers.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
20 May 2025
-
The feather-light fabric feels like silk, but, unlike the fragile material, these pants are a lot more forgiving, packable, and cost-effective.—
Isis Briones,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
Comedy is also having a moment because of people are looking for a pleasant escape given the political nightmare currently gripping this nation.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
This modern adaptation of a traditional country farmhouse features a welcoming front porch, which has ample room for two or three people to sit and relax on a pleasant day.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Healthcare institutions that embrace integrated care platforms reduce errors, improve outcomes and enhance patient satisfaction.—
Andrew Pecora,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
-
This suggests that while there may be patient circumstances where methylene blue is beneficial, researchers have not yet pinned down what those are.—
Lorne J. Hofseth,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
The finish is medium-length, clean, and refreshing with a lingering gentle warmth and a smooth aftertaste.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
What soon follows is a gradual, gentle introduction to a wide ensemble of characters with torrid histories — which is to say, falling-outs over drag show disagreements — as zombie mayhem slowly creeps in through the corners of the frame.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share