1
as in pause
a temporary halt in an activity or condition
The pool offered a welcome reprieve from the heat.
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2
as in parole
law
a temporary release from the obligation to serve punishment for a crime
The judge ordered a reprieve of the execution so the accused would have time to appeal the decision.
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Dissimilar Words
1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reprieve
Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026
Derksen said the judge’s ruling offers a reprieve but the work is not done.
—Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 1 June 2026
Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
Aside from the offerings of the market itself, the square is also lined with many shops, boutiques, and department stores that provide plenty of options for visitors, as well as indoor reprieves from the cold.
—Jasmine Ting, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reprieve
Noun
South Florida is gearing up for a warmer-than-normal week but with some rainy reprieve.
—Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026
Derksen said the judge’s ruling offers a reprieve but the work is not done.
—Matthew Stolle, Twin Cities, 1 June 2026
Verb
In a gift to pharma, the bill broadened reprieves to drugs that treat rare conditions.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
Aside from the offerings of the market itself, the square is also lined with many shops, boutiques, and department stores that provide plenty of options for visitors, as well as indoor reprieves from the cold.
—Jasmine Ting, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reprieve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprieve
Noun
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Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s top competitors, has proposed mechanisms for coordinating pauses on advanced AI development if systems become too powerful.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Located in the city's dynamic tech district, Whitefield, The Den Bengaluru seamlessly bridges heritage and innovation, offering an environment where guests can move seamlessly between focused work, casual connection, and moments of pause.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Marcelin was out on parole at the time of the 2022 murder.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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Harvey Marcelin, 87, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the grisly 2022 murder of Susan Leyden in his New York City apartment, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced on Wednesday, June 10.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Trump pardons ex-Republican congressman.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
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Purvis remained behind bars until 1898, when Mississippi’s governor pardoned him.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Michael Petersen relieved Alcantara and threw a perfect eighth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
The pulses are designed to normalize the nerve messaging from the brain to the stomach to relieve symptoms of nausea and vomiting without side effects.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Upon resuming the meeting, Breadon didn’t directly address the arrests, but said no further interruptions would be tolerated, per Council rules.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
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The ride interruptions quickly became a topic of discussion among Disney fans online.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Noun
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In Wells, after accepting the commutation, the defendant-petitioner argued that the president possessed the authority to issue only absolute pardons, not conditional ones, and that the petitioner’s acceptance of the conditional pardon was made under duress.—
Robert Radick,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Other state officials became resigned to the seeming imminence of a Polis commutation.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024 inked a mutual defense treaty, and North Korea has provided thousands of soldiers and munitions to aid Russia’s war on Ukraine, a development that’s alarmed a West wary of a growing alignment between Pyongyang, Moscow and Beijing.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Now a botanist and apothecary, Cadfael aids the local sheriff in solving all manner of crimes committed in and near Shrewsbury Abbey during England’s 15-year civil war known now as the Anarchy.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
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After finishing his second term as governor, LePage took a break from politics and worked as a bartender at McSeagull’s, a seafood restaurant in Boothbay Harbor.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
9 June 2026
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In Part 2, Batula couldn’t hack it any longer, and took a long break.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reprieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprieve. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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