as in sympathetic
allowing a lot of freedom and not punishing bad behavior in a strong way
a teacher who is lenient with students who have misbehaved The public was outraged by the lenient sentence the corrupt banker received.
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Recent Examples of lenient
As such, the project may be less a vote of confidence in Trump’s vision for America so much as the latest sign of the country’s capitulation to the AI industry, which has repeatedly pushed for lenient regulations and invoked the specter of China to clear a path for rapid development.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2025
Joseph’s bill would also retroactively apply the state’s more lenient penalties for certain drug trafficking charges to offenders who were sentenced before Oct. 1, 2019 — the most recent date drug penalties were amended.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Most major cruise lines register their ships in foreign countries to benefit from more lenient tax and labor laws.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
But many in the industry are looking at the Trump administration to have a more lenient attitude toward mergers and acquisitions and, more specifically, the relaxation or even repeal of the FCC’s media ownership rules.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2025
Joseph’s bill would also retroactively apply the state’s more lenient penalties for certain drug trafficking charges to offenders who were sentenced before Oct. 1, 2019 — the most recent date drug penalties were amended.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Most major cruise lines register their ships in foreign countries to benefit from more lenient tax and labor laws.
—Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
But many in the industry are looking at the Trump administration to have a more lenient attitude toward mergers and acquisitions and, more specifically, the relaxation or even repeal of the FCC’s media ownership rules.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
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Trump has appointed a crypto-friendly cabinet and sympathetic regulators at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
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And her attempts at a pseudo love affair with Matt Damon’s sympathetic Allied officer always feels more theoretical than palpable.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond his incredible work as an actor, Mason is a genuinely kind and compassionate individual who fosters a spirit of acceptance and collaboration in our theatre program.—
Heide Janssen,
Orange County Register,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Be calm, be compassionate, be creative, be careful.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Baseball’s celebration of that day often obscures the fact that MLB hasn’t been African American friendly in decades.—
Terence Moore,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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Vermont's politics and demographics are also more friendly to Sanders' views than other battleground districts in the Trump era.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Church also believes in and supports the efforts of nations to regulate borders and control immigration, provided it is done in a way that is both just and merciful.—
William McCarthy,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2025
-
The Gospel's beatitudes—blessed are the meek, the merciful, and the peacemakers—stand in stark opposition to the movement's rhetoric of anger and grievance.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Drivers with 460-cubic-centimeter heads have the largest sweet spot and are more forgiving, ideal for amateurs.—
BestReviews,
The Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2025
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Those numbers were reached using Europe’s more forgiving WLTP testing cycle, but the EPA estimate should be over 400 miles in both cases.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What might have been a pleasant interlude turned into an unhappy five-year-old and another frustrating exercise requiring far more customer effort than necessary.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
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The series expands the universe in a pleasant, mostly unobtrusive fashion, with one-off episodes and fun guest stars like Terry Crews, Embeth Davidtz, Anthony Edwards, and, in its best episode, Parker Posey and Jillian Bell.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Hoosiers are balanced, patient and can score in flurries with the 3-ball.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
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Chris would benefit from a family that is patient and will provide him with guidance during his teen years.—
The Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But instead of chastisement, caregivers should get their child to stop scratching with gentle encouragement, kindness, and empathy.—
Andy Collinson,
Health,
19 Mar. 2025
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Gaga’s powerful delivery propels the track forward, but in the second verse, the production contracts to suit Ariana’s gentle coo.—
Kristen S. Hé,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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