commute
verb (used with object)
to change (a prison sentence or other penalty) to a less severe one.
had commuted
-
past perfectof commute.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Suu Kyi, now 81, was moved to house arrest later that month after Min Aung Hlaing said he had commuted the rest of her sentence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
Four years later, an overwhelming majority of California voters approved Proposition 36, reversing a 2014 change that had commuted some nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
Last week, Polis tried to quietly announce that he had commuted her nine-year prison sentence, but the news immediately caught fire.
From Slate ● May 21, 2026
In a letter to Peters released Friday, Polis, a Democrat, said he had commuted her sentence to 4 years and 4.5 months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
She and Jerry had commuted to work together in it, but the car had started to lay smoke all over the road even before the payments were finished.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
