as in remitting
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1
as in forgiving
to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward
he eventually pardoned his sister after she apologized
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ignoring
to dismiss as of little importance
I'm willing to pardon a little sloppiness of dress in such a kind and loving person
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pardoning
Ryan Lucas, NPR, 13 May 2026
The Democrats have signaled that they are united in opposition to any talk of pardoning Maxwell.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
His legal restoration began in 2020 with Trump pardoning him for lying to the FBI.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for her release since his return to office last year, and he’s castigated Polis for not pardoning her or transferring her into federal custody.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
In response to a request for comment about the recent social media campaign, a White House spokesperson reiterated to Fortune that Trump has no intention of pardoning Bankman-Fried.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Trump started his second presidency by pardoning the insurrectionists who’d wanted to unlawfully extend his first.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Nearly a century later, in 1977, Jimmy Carter helped mend the divisions plaguing the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War by pardoning those who had dodged the draft.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
South Korea has a history of pardoning former presidents who were jailed over diverse crimes in the name of promoting national unity.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
President Bill Clinton came under fire for pardoning former hedge-fund manager Marc Rich, and President Joe Biden was roundly criticized for pardoning his son, Hunter, as well as preemptively pardoning other family members.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 13 May 2026
The Democrats have signaled that they are united in opposition to any talk of pardoning Maxwell.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
His legal restoration began in 2020 with Trump pardoning him for lying to the FBI.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for her release since his return to office last year, and he’s castigated Polis for not pardoning her or transferring her into federal custody.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
In response to a request for comment about the recent social media campaign, a White House spokesperson reiterated to Fortune that Trump has no intention of pardoning Bankman-Fried.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Trump started his second presidency by pardoning the insurrectionists who’d wanted to unlawfully extend his first.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Nearly a century later, in 1977, Jimmy Carter helped mend the divisions plaguing the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War by pardoning those who had dodged the draft.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
South Korea has a history of pardoning former presidents who were jailed over diverse crimes in the name of promoting national unity.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardoning
Verb
-
Hart has previously reflected on his feelings about his father and forgiving him for not being around for his childhood due to his struggles with drug addiction and multiple stints in jail.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Yet he was also chided for too easily forgiving and embracing those who repented their anti-Jewish remarks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Common laundry habits — ignoring dryer vent buildup, leaving wet clothes in the washer, using hot water on everything and skipping the washing machine gasket — can damage appliances, ruin fabrics and even create a fire risk.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
-
Among other things, ABC argued that it was being singled out for regulatory action while ignoring radio talk shows, which also are covered by the rule, and routinely feature candidates.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The pool sits on a sprawling terrace, overlooking the sea for maximum tranquility.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
14 May 2026
-
Continue to Totem Bight State Historical Park, where totems rise from a rainforest overlooking the Tongass Narrows.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Rock and dance music defenders alike have reached for their pitchforks, but Charli isn’t interested in debating or explaining the song to them.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
13 May 2026
-
The dramatic trailer opens with Ty introducing himself in a TikTok video and explaining why he was barricaded in his room.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Easily the riskiest entry of the year so far, this expensive — $200 million but who’s counting — Amazon MGM Studios gamble, powered by Ryan Gosling’s star turn as a lonely astronaut, has made $573 million globally, justifying its steep costs.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Quiet-luxury proponents would often speak of frequency of use and cost per wear in justifying a four-figure black wool sweater.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And his exculpatory claim that parking fee revenues benefit the park raises doubts.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Morgan said the police officer and the city are fair game — especially if Patel’s attorneys can show certain exculpatory evidence was withheld.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pardoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardoning. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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