Synonyms for leniency
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Clemency
clemency, mercy, mildness, forbearance, gentleness, tenderness, lenity, lenience, softness, lenientness rare
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
The quality of mercy or forgiveness, especially in the assignment of punishment as in a court case.
The convicted felon asked for leniency, but because the crime was so heinous the judge refused and gave the maximum sentence.
Forms
- Plural
- leniencies → clemencies, mercies, mildnesses, forbearances…
Choose the right word
Leniency or lenity denotes an easy-going avoidance of severity; these words are more general and less magisterial than clemency; we should speak of the leniency of a parent, the clemency of a conqueror.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- mercy And so God took mercy on her, and gave her a girl.
- clemency Islam is a religion of clemency.
- forbearance Do not mistake patience for forbearance.
- patience A man without patience is like a lamp without oil.
- indulgence His parents are tolerant of his self-indulgence.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| leniency | steady | |
| mercy | rising | |
| clemency | steady | |
| forbearance | rising | |
| mildness | steady | |
| patience | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- mercy2
- 6 letters
- lenity
- 8 letters
- patience2, clemency3, softness2, mildness, lenience
- 10 letters
- tenderness3, indulgence3, gentleness3
- 11 letters
- forbearance3, lenientness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (mercy2 = 2 syllables).