clemency

American  

[klem-uhn-see] / ˈklɛm ən si /

noun

• clemencies
  plural

1. the quality of being clement; disposition to show forbearance, compassion, or forgiveness in judging or punishing; leniency; mercy.

   Synonyms:

   mercifulness, gentleness, forgivingness

   Antonyms:

   harshness

2. an act or deed showing mercy or leniency.

3. (of the weather) mildness or temperateness.

   Antonyms:

   severity

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clemency British  

/ ˈklɛmənsɪ /

noun

1. mercy or leniency

2. mildness, esp of the weather

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Usage

what does clemency mean? Clemency is mercy or the quality of being lenient. Clemency is most commonly used in a legal context for situations in which a prisoner is officially pardoned or has their sentence shortened. Example: The governor has granted her clemency, meaning she will be released early.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overclemency
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• clemencies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of clemency

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin clēmentia. See clement, -cy

Explanation

Say you're playing a role-playing game and you end up in one of the other player's dungeons. You could try begging her for clemency — compassion shown by people in power towards people who rebel or break the law. Clemency is also a weather word, though nowadays it's much more common to hear people talk about "inclement weather" than, say, "the clemency of the storm." Derived from the Latin for "gentle", it came into usage in the 1550s. If you have trouble remembering its meaning, get rid of the "cle" and replace the "n" with an "r". You're left with "mercy", which more or less means the same thing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

clemency clemencies

Lee, who previously denied Pike clemency, has halted further executions through the rest of the year pending a "comprehensive, third-party review."

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

The grant of clemency was surprising both because I hadn’t applied for it and because I’d held office as a Democrat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Of course, he didn’t have to, since as Tennessee’s Chief Executive, he has the prerogative to grant or withhold clemency as he sees fit.

From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026

Pike's legal team had filed the clemency petition earlier this month, requesting that her death sentence be commuted to life in prison.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

He knows important people have written letters on his behalf, people like his attorney and his senior district Hitler Youth leader and even Hugo, asking for clemency.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

But since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, only 86 individual clemencies have been granted—out of 1,659 executions.

From Slate ● Mar. 6, 2026

The president has issued a number of clemencies during the first year of his second term, many for defendants in criminal cases once touted by federal prosecutors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2026

Those clemencies came on top of the commutation awarded last month to George Santos, the disgraced former New York congressman found guilty of defrauding donors and lying to the House of Representatives.

From Salon ● Nov. 13, 2025

A day later, top officials at the agency celebrated several people who have received pardons and clemencies in recent years, characterizing their long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes as harsh and unfair.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 22, 2023

In your greatness ye shall change it; with your justice ye shall purify it; with your clemencies ye should it chasten and amerce.

From Privy Seal His Last Venture by Ford Madox Ford

Related Words

• compassion
• indulgence
• leniency
• mercy