commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 
-yü-
2
: replacement
specifically
: a substitution of one form of payment or charge for another
a commutation by money payment for the exacted service
3
: a change of a legal penalty or punishment to a lesser one
commutation of a death sentence
4
: an act or process of commuting
… a ridge of hills makes daily commutation to San Francisco arduous.—
The New York Times
The New York Times5
: the action of commutating
Examples of commutation in a Sentence
He appealed for a commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
an international commutation of food for oil
Recent Examples on the Web
Once reelected, Trump sprang them all, with pardons and commutations.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 Apr. 2025
The Bondi memo directs the Justice Department to, among other things assist local prosecutors in pursuing death sentences under state law against the 37 individuals who received commutations.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 5 Feb. 2025
The New York Times previously reported that Trump’s commutation thwarted an ongoing effort by prosecutors to negotiate a cooperation deal with Braun that would have freed him from prison in exchange for his offering information about other predatory lenders for a criminal investigation.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
Paoletta did not respond to a request for comment regarding Galanis' commutation.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
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Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 18 Apr. 2025
The Bondi memo directs the Justice Department to, among other things assist local prosecutors in pursuing death sentences under state law against the 37 individuals who received commutations.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 5 Feb. 2025
The New York Times previously reported that Trump’s commutation thwarted an ongoing effort by prosecutors to negotiate a cooperation deal with Braun that would have freed him from prison in exchange for his offering information about other predatory lenders for a criminal investigation.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
Paoletta did not respond to a request for comment regarding Galanis' commutation.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
Cite this Entry
“Commutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commutation. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən
2
: a reduction of a legal penalty
3
: an act of commuting
4
: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit
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