Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

pardon

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of pardon

release from the guilt or penalty of an offense
  • The criminal is hoping for a presidential pardon.
Synonyms of pardon

absolution, amnesty, forgiveness, remission, remittal
Words Related to pardon

parole

acquittal, exculpation, exoneration, vindication

condonation

exemption, immunity, impunity, indemnity

commutation, commuting, reprieve

clemency, leniency, mercy
Near Antonyms of pardon

conviction, sentence

assessment, charge, fine, imposition, levying

castigation, chastening, chastisement, condemnation
Antonyms of pardon

penalty, punishment, retribution

pardon

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of pardon

1 to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward
  • He eventually pardoned his sister for her selfish behavior.
Synonyms of pardon

forgive
Words Related to pardon

absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate

remit, shrive

condone, disregard, excuse, ignore, pass over, shrug off

discharge, liberate, redeem, release, unburden
Near Antonyms of pardon

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, dislike, execrate, hate, loathe

avenge, redress, requite, retaliate, revenge

discipline, penalize, punish
Antonyms of pardon

resent
2 to dismiss as of little importance
  • His tardiness should be pardoned, given that we changed the time to meet.
Synonyms of pardon

blink (at), brush (aside or off), condone, discount, disregard, excuse, forgive, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, overlook, overpass, paper over, pass over, remit, shrug off, whitewash, wink (at)
Words Related to pardon

explain, justify, rationalize

absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate

waive, wave (aside or off)
Phrases Synonymous with pardon

close one's eyes to, forgive and forget
Near Antonyms of pardon

heed, mark, mind, note, object (to)

Synonym Discussion of pardon

excuse, condone, pardon, forgive mean to exact neither punishment nor redress. excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these.
    • excuse an interruption
    • excused them for interrupting
Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.
    • injustice excuses strong responses
condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.
    • a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics
pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.
    • pardon a criminal
forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.
    • could not forgive their rudeness

Learn More about pardon

  1. See words that rhyme with pardon Dictionary: Definition of pardon Spanish Central: Translation of pardon Nglish: Translation of pardon for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pardon for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pardon

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pardon? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

querulous

play

habitually complaining

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. pansexual 'sexual desire or attraction...not limited to a particular gender identity or sexual orientation'

  2. symbiote 'an organism living in symbiosis'

  3. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

  4. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  5. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-5ae23d5d250bd
'Rather Than': Is It a Conjunction or Preposition?

It's both, and here's why.

alt-5ae227cf365c4
‘Magnate’ and ‘Magnet’: Poles Apart

This is kind of a Big Deal

image278155226
All the Hits

8 obscure words for bodily harm

alt-5adf93a49b0b2
The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

"In point" only lives in this phrase.

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

rain-on-rainbow-umbrella
April 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

The rhyming verb edition.

Take the quiz
image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Syn City
Syn City

Build a city of skyscrapers—one synonym at a time.

Play the game