clemency

noun

clem·​en·​cy ˈkle-mən(t)-sē 

plural clemencies

1

a

: disposition to be merciful and especially to moderate the severity of punishment due

The judge ignored the prisoner's pleas for clemency.

b

: an act or instance of leniency

The governor's clemencies saved the lives of many death-row prisoners.

2

: pleasant mildness of weather

The fair was a great success, owing to the clemency of the weather.

Synonyms

• charity
• forbearance
• lenience
• leniency
• lenity
• mercifulness
• mercy
• quarter

Choose the Right Synonym for clemency

mercy, charity, clemency, grace, leniency mean a disposition to show kindness or compassion.

mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

Examples of clemency in a Sentence

The President has granted clemency to several people this month.

the judge chose to show clemency to the truly repentant embezzler

Recent Examples on the Web

Kim Kardashian on Thursday joined Vice President Kamala Harris and four prisoners recently granted clemency by President Joe Biden at the White House as part of Kardashian’s long-standing criminal justice reform effort. —Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024

The event comes the day after President Biden used his clemency authority to pardon 11 people who were convicted of non-violent drug offenses and commute the sentences of five others. —Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024

Indiana governors, who rely on recommendations from the Indiana Parole Board, have granted medical clemencies to only six inmates in the last two decades. —The Indianapolis Star, 18 Apr. 2024

Danielle Metz made headlines after President Barack Obama granted her clemency, and during Second Chance Month, her full story is finally being told. —Essence, 18 Apr. 2024

The murders of Sarah and Benjamin Bonnie Dorsey had long struggled with severe chronic depression, his clemency petition says. —Dakin Andone, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024

His lawyer was paid a lump sum of $345,000 to represent every single felony defendant in rural Spalding County in 1996, the year Pye was sentenced to death, according to his clemency petition. —Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

The parole board held two previous clemency hearings for death row prisoners since 1976 — the same year Creech was first sentenced to death for the Valley County murders. —Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 15 Feb. 2024

Dorsey's attorneys had requested clemency arguing that he'd been rehabilitated and that more than 70 former and current corrections officers were in support of commuting Dorsey's death sentence. —Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see clement

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

clemency

noun

clem·​en·​cy ˈklem-ən-sē 

plural clemencies

1

: disposition to be merciful

2

: an act or instance of mercy

Legal Definition

clemency

noun

clem·​en·​cy ˈkle-mən-sē 

plural clemencies

1

: willingness or ability to moderate the severity of a punishment (as a sentence)

2

: an act or instance of mercy, compassion, or forgiveness see also amnesty, commute, pardon, reprieve