as in mercy
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
a judge's reputation for lenience towards first-time criminals
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Recent Examples of lenience
Dunn famously forgave his attacker, asking for lenience at his federal trial.
—
Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Trilogy pulled through because of customers who went out of their way to support the business and order food to-go, the landlord’s lenience with rent, the PPP funding, its outdoor space and the health focus of her business at a time when health was on everyone’s mind.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025
Conservative applicants also voiced concern about liberal LGBTQ laws and lenience on crime.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Experts say this level of lenience can lead to rebellion, risk-prone temperament, and unhealthy habits.
—Zara Hanawalt, Parents, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lenience
Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Trilogy pulled through because of customers who went out of their way to support the business and order food to-go, the landlord’s lenience with rent, the PPP funding, its outdoor space and the health focus of her business at a time when health was on everyone’s mind.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025
Conservative applicants also voiced concern about liberal LGBTQ laws and lenience on crime.
—Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Experts say this level of lenience can lead to rebellion, risk-prone temperament, and unhealthy habits.
—Zara Hanawalt, Parents, 29 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lenience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenience
Noun
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Never mind that historically, the Jews have not only wielded little control over global affairs, but have also proven to be the most at their mercy.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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But the Salt River system is unlike the Colorado River watershed, whose reservoirs are entirely at the mercy of winter snow to replenish them.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Kunis and Kutcher both wrote letters of support to the judge asking for leniency for Masterson.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
30 Mar. 2026
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The 32-year-old Opa-locka native went so far as to write a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian requesting leniency before her former beau’s sentencing.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lenience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenience. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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