amnesty

[ am-nuh-stee ]

See synonyms for amnesty on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural am·nes·ties.

a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.

a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.

verb (used with object),am·nes·tied, am·nes·ty·ing.

to grant amnesty to; pardon.

Origin of amnesty

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French amnestie, or directly from Latin amnēstia, from Greek amnēstía “oblivion,” equivalent to ámnēst(os) “forgetting” (from a- negative prefix + mnēs- “remember” + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ia noun suffix; see a-⁶, -y³

synonym study For amnesty

1. See pardon.

Words Nearby amnesty

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use amnesty in a sentence

amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders cannot be accessed without a virtual private network.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think | Brendon Hong | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
He made clear that he was happy with “90 percent of it” but that he could never support “amnesty.”
Quirky Reindeer Farmer Keeps Government Open for Christmas | Ben Jacobs | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
He also elected not to take advantage of a recent tax amnesty whereby he could have paid back just 10 percent of what he owed.
Is Soccer Great Lionel Messi Corrupt? | Jack Holmes | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Along with amnesty, our borders were to be secured once and for all.
The Liberal Case Against Illegal Immigration | Doug McIntyre | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But that was so yesterday, much like his contention that he lacked the power to unilaterally confer amnesty.
With Immigration Move, Obama and the Welfare Party Strike Again | Lloyd Green | November 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Instead of the expected general amnesty, only a few special pardons were granted.
The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
Later on he voluntarily presented himself to the military authorities, and obtained pardon under the amnesty proclamation.
The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
This was nothing less than the Turkish Revolution of 1908, with its consequent amnesty for all political offences.
The Cradle of Mankind | W.A. Wigram
Prince Eugne offered amnesty to the insurgents, and the Austrian ministry advised them to cease resistance.
The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte | William Milligan Sloane
They have issued an amnesty, pardoning even those who have committed the most frightful atrocities upon us.
A Roving Commission | G. A. Henty

British Dictionary definitions for amnesty

amnesty

/ (ˈæmnɪstɪ) /

nounplural -ties

a general pardon, esp for offences against a government
a period during which a law is suspended to allow offenders to admit their crime without fear of prosecution

law a pardon granted by the Crown or Executive and effected by statute

verb-ties, -tying or -tied

(tr) to overlook or forget (an offence)

Origin of amnesty

C16: from Latin amnēstia, from Greek: oblivion, from amnēstos forgetting, from a- 1 + -mnēstos, from mnasthai to remember

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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