lenient
agreeably tolerant; permissive; indulgent: He tended to be lenient toward the children. More lenient laws encouraged greater freedom of expression.
Archaic. softening, soothing, or alleviative.
Origin of lenient
1Other words from lenient
- le·ni·ent·ly, adverb
- su·per·le·ni·ent, adjective
- su·per·le·ni·ent·ly, adverb
- un·le·ni·ent, adjective
- un·le·ni·ent·ly, adverb
Words Nearby lenient
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use lenient in a sentence
The math of being as lenient as possible for borrowers who are truly without fault has never been more persuasive.
Bankers were the villains of the last recession. They can be heroes in this one | matthewheimer | December 11, 2020 | FortuneOfficials also introduced an unusually lenient grading policy — meant to combat a spike in failing grades as the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to upend American education.
In sudden switch, Loudoun County is returning all students to online learning | Hannah Natanson | December 10, 2020 | Washington PostThere’s also the question of who really has the power to enforce the gendered double standard—and whether the answer is to be more lenient with female founders or to hold men to a higher standard, as I explore more in another story for Fortune today.
Being lenient back at the start of the pandemic has left them with huge numbers to make up before the end of the year.
In 46 of the cases, the accused officer was given an outcome more lenient than jail time, like probation or pretrial intervention.
How Criminal Cops Often Avoid Jail | by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press | September 23, 2020 | ProPublica
The Jewish Week reported that sources said Hynes was expected to dispose of the case with a lenient plea deal.
Caminero just sounds like a jerk, and his charge of criminal mischief almost too lenient.
The New York Times and The Guardian asked President Obama to be lenient on the leaker in two editorials Thursday.
Michael Hayden, Ex-NSA Director, Says Clemency for Edward Snowden Is ‘Outrageous’ Idea | Eli Lake | January 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn other words, Berlusconi's trivialization of the Shoah and his lenient views regarding Mussolini are not uncommon.
Why Do Italian Jews Tolerate Berlusconi's Trivialization of the Holocaust? | Anna Momigliano | November 6, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTPushing more lenient sentencing polices was not going to be the White House's priority straight out of the gate.
How Eric Holder Got His Chance to Overhaul Broken Sentencing System | Daniel Klaidman | August 16, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTUsually the teacher was very lenient with Mother Wit, for of all her pupils Laura gave her the least trouble.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage | Gertrude W. MorrisonVal once said he had been more sinned against than sinning: it may be deemed that in that opinion he was too lenient to himself.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodA moiling, toiling man, who shows no mercy to himself, is only lenient to others by excess of reason.
The 'Characters' of Jean de La Bruyre | Jean de La BruyreThe society into which he went was disposed to be exceedingly lenient to fashionable excesses.
A Cursory History of Swearing | Julian SharmanThough he has the reputation of being severe, he is far more lenient with other people's children than his own.
Ways of War and Peace | Delia Austrian
British Dictionary definitions for lenient
/ (ˈliːnɪənt) /
showing or characterized by mercy or tolerance
archaic caressing or soothing
Origin of lenient
1Derived forms of lenient
- leniency or lenience, noun
- leniently, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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