commutation

American  

[kom-yuh-tey-shuhn] / ˌkɒm yəˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of substituting one thing for another; substitution; exchange.

2. the changing of a prison sentence or other penalty to another less severe.

3. the act of commuting, as to and from a place of work.

4. the substitution of one kind of payment for another.

5. Electricity. the act or process of commutating.

6. Also called commutation test.  Linguistics. the technique, especially in phonological analysis, of substituting one linguistic item for another while keeping the surrounding elements constant, used as a means of determining the constituent units in a sequence and their contrasts with other units.

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commutation British  

/ ˌkɒmjʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. a substitution or exchange

2. 1. the replacement of one method of payment by another

   2. the payment substituted

3. the reduction in severity of a penalty imposed by law

4. the process of commutating an electric current

5. the travelling done by a commuter

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Other Word Forms

• procommutation adjective

Etymology

Origin of commutation

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English commutacioun, from Latin commūtātiōn-, stem of commutātiō “change”; equivalent to commute + -ation

Example Sentences

The latter charge, comprising a breach of allegiance owed to a sovereign or state, was crucial because it was not subject to reprieve or commutation by the governor without consent of the Legislature.

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026

Wood’s commutation was one of only two clemencies granted to death row inmates in 2025, out of 47 total executions—a record high year in the United States.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

According to reports, she is working on a commutation application.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2025

Marissa Gibson was furious about the commutation for Daryl Lawrence, convicted of killing her husband, police officer Bryan Hurst, during a 2005 bank robbery in Columbus, Ohio.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

"Some weather! Hot! Hot! Hot! Is it hot enough for you? Is it hot? Is it . . . ?" My commutation ticket came back to me with a dark stain from his hand.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald