reprieve

American  

[ri-preev] / rɪˈpriv /

verb (used with object)

reprieves, present (3rd person singular) reprieved, past participle, past reprieving present participle

1. to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).

2. to relieve temporarily from any evil.

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noun

1. a respite from impending punishment, as from execution of a sentence of death.

2. a warrant authorizing this.

3. any respite or temporary relief.

   Synonyms:

   deferment, stay, postponement, delay

reprieve British  

/ rɪˈpriːv /

verb

1. to postpone or remit the punishment of (a person, esp one condemned to death)

2. to give temporary relief to (a person or thing), esp from otherwise irrevocable harm

   the government has reprieved the company with a huge loan

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noun

1. a postponement or remission of punishment, esp of a person condemned to death

2. a warrant granting a postponement

3. a temporary relief from pain or harm; respite

4. the act of reprieving or the state of being reprieved

Synonym Usage

See pardon.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unreprieved
  adjective
• reprievable
  adjective
• repriever
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has reprieved
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have reprieved
  perfect
• have been reprieving
  perfect progressive
• am reprieving
  progressive 1st person singular
• are reprieving
  progressive
• reprieving
  participle
• is reprieving
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been reprieving
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• reprieves
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had reprieved
  perfect
• was reprieving
  progressive singular
• had been reprieving
  perfect progressive
• were reprieving
  progressive plural
• reprieved
  simple
• reprieved
  participle

Future

• will reprieve
  simple
• will have reprieved
  perfect
• will be reprieving
  progressive
• will have been reprieving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of reprieve

First recorded in 1300–50; perhaps conflation of Middle English repreven “to contradict,” variant of reproven “to rebuke,” apparently taken in literal sense “to prove again, test again,” and Middle English repried (past participle of reprien “to bring back”), from Old French reprit (past participle of reprendre “to take back”; see reprise, reprove,

Explanation

A reprieve is a break in or cancellation of a painful or otherwise lousy situation. If you're being tortured, a reprieve is a break from whatever's tormenting you. For some, a night at the opera is a night of punishing boredom during which the only reprieve is the intermission. For others, it's baseball that feels like torture. The seventh-inning stretch is the only reprieve from a night of endless waiting. Often, you'll hear reprieve used when a court or governor decides not to execute a prisoner. That prisoner is given a reprieve and will be allowed to live. He probably won't get a reprieve from prison, though, unless he's found innocent.

Example Sentences

I needed a reprieve from something I had gone through.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The reprieve for the Mississippi defendant split the high court’s conservatives.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

But with little progress on the issues festering and so much riding on their relationship, any reprieve could be temporary—and the space for surprises large.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

A leading barrister has won a reprieve from facing an unprecedented contempt of court case over his alleged conduct during a trial of six Palestine Action activists.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Two hours later, though, Squire finally got him on the phone, and the governor ordered a two-week reprieve, during which experts reexamined the man and sent him not to the chair but to an asylum.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• abatement
• absolution
• amnesty
• clemency
• deferment
• pardon
• postponement
• remission
• respite
• suspension
• truce