as in mercy
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
a social critic who argues that judicial lenity is chiefly to blame for the increased criminality that plagues us
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 lenity
Twelve judges sided with Cargill and concluded that the definition of machine gun was ambiguous enough to invoke a legal principle known as the rule of lenity, which requires courts to interpret unclear criminal laws in a way that's most favorable to the defendant.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024
The majority’s treatment of the rule of lenity also strikes a slightly sour note.
—The Insider, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021
If the rule of lenity applies here, then Butler should not be charged with a hate crime.
—Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Magazine, 25 Apr. 2017
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024
The majority’s treatment of the rule of lenity also strikes a slightly sour note.
—The Insider, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021
If the rule of lenity applies here, then Butler should not be charged with a hate crime.
—Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Magazine, 25 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenity
Noun
-
And, Ben carried out his instructions with precision and without mercy.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Notre Dame is at the mercy of the committee no matter what.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Combs’ family, friends, former employees and business associates from Bad Boy Entertainment and Combs Enterprises submitted more than 70 letters to ask Judge Subramanian for leniency on his behalf.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In a final speech before sentencing, Combs made a plea for leniency.—
Jennifer Peltz,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, Avery's trial lawyers, Dean Strang and Jerome Buting wrote a letter to Evers requesting clemency for Dassey.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Nester is one of Utah’s leading defense lawyers and worked for the Obama administration on an advisory board for convicts seeking clemency.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenity. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share