pardon
Americannoun
-
pardons
plural
-
kind indulgence, as in forgiveness of an offense or discourtesy or in tolerance of a distraction or inconvenience.
I beg your pardon, but which way is Spruce Street?
-
Law.
-
a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.
-
the document by which such remission is declared.
-
-
forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.
- Synonyms:
- remission, absolution
-
Obsolete. a papal indulgence.
verb (used with object)
-
pardons,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pardoned,
past participle, past
-
pardoning
present participle
interjection
verb
noun
-
forgiveness; allowance
-
-
release from punishment for an offence
-
the warrant granting such release
-
-
a Roman Catholic indulgence
Synonym Usage
Pardon, amnesty, reprieve are nouns referring to the cancellation, or delay with the possibility of eventual cancellation, of a punishment or penalty assigned for the violation of a military regulation or a civil law; absolution from guilt is not implied, merely a remission of the penalty. A pardon is granted to an individual, often by the action of a government official such as a governor, president, or monarch, and releases the individual from any punishment due for the infraction of the law, as a death sentence, prison term, or fine: to be released from prison with a full pardon. An amnesty is a pardon granted to a group of persons for past offenses against a government; it often includes an assurance of no future prosecution: to grant amnesty to political prisoners; an amnesty period for delinquent taxpayers during which no penalties are assessed. A reprieve is a delay of impending punishment, especially a death sentence; it does not cancel or remit the punishment, it simply delays it, usually for a specific period of time or until a decision can be arrived at as to the possibility of pardon or reduction of sentence: a last-minute reprieve, allowing the filing of an appeal to the Supreme Court. See excuse.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
pardonablenessnoun
-
nonpardoningadjective
-
pardonableadjective
-
pardonlessadjective
-
unpardonableadjective
-
unpardonedadjective
-
unpardoningadjective
-
pardonablyadverb
-
unpardonablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pardonsimple
-
pardonssimple
-
have pardonedperfect
-
has pardonedperfect
-
am pardoningprogressive
-
are pardoningprogressive
-
is pardoningprogressive
-
have been pardoningperfect progressive
-
has been pardoningperfect progressive
Past
-
pardonedsimple
-
had pardonedperfect
-
was pardoningprogressive
-
were pardoningprogressive
-
had been pardoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pardon
First recorded in 1300–50; (noun) Middle English pardoun(e), from Old French, Middle French pardon, pardun, perdun ( French pardon ), from Medieval Latin perdōnum ; (verb) Middle English pardonen, perdonen, from Anglo-French, Old French pardoner, perduner ( French pardonner), from Medieval Latin perdōnāre “to give freely, overlook,” equivalent to Latin intensive prefix per- per- + dōnāre “to give,” see donation
Explanation
If you belch, interrupt a conversation, or leave the table during dinner, you’re expected to say “Pardon me.” Once you’ve requested your companions’ pardon, or forgiveness, you can assume you have it; you don’t need to wait for their response. The word pardon often occurs in the phrases “Pardon me” and “I beg your pardon.” (While “I beg your pardon” literally means “I request your forgiveness,” it’s used to indicate that the speaker did not hear what was just said.) Outside of these everyday phrases, pardon is typically used in formal or legal situations. If the president pardons a criminal, for example, the criminal is forgiven in the sense that he or she no longer has to serve the penalty for the crime.
Vocabulary lists containing pardon
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Although a pardon could be signed "minutes after" taking office, various bureaucratic hurdles would prevent it from taking effect that same day, Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
United States holds that a pardon doesn’t restore to a person property already seized or paid to the government, and a $40,000 fine I’d paid as part of my sentence was sitting in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
His latest appeal was turned down, but he is still hoping for a presidential pardon.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
These guidelines generally require that a clemency seeker have been released from prison for five years before they are eligible to request a pardon.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
“Begging your pardon, ma’am, it wasn’t a billiard saloon, but a gymnasium, and I was taking a lesson in fencing.”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
The proposal would also allow convicts to serve their terms in Kosovo, limit sentences to 15 years and clear the way for presidential pardons.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
White House officials are considering a plan for President Trump to issue 250 pardons as a way to mark the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday this summer, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Justice is working on a review of the pardons and disregards scheme, with a view to bringing new proposals to the Executive in the next Assembly mandate.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
What she wants is an apology, and Mary batting her eyes and offering her heartfelt pardons won’t be enough.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
"My pardons," he began, taking his place on the bench beside his uncle.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Year: 2022 Compiled by: Shirin Ali Of note: Santos would later be expelled from Congress, sentenced to prison, and pardoned by President Donald Trump.
From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026
Many presidents adhere to this norm: My study shows that between 94% and 100% of people pardoned by George H.W.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Mamedli was not among the 20 prisoners pardoned by Aliyev.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
A Honduran judge ruled on Monday that former president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was pardoned last year of US drug trafficking charges by President Donald Trump, can remain free while facing his corruption trial.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
The paper explained that because he had confessed and had a positive attitude, he was pardoned.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
One of Barnett’s previous clients was Alice Marie Johnson, a great-grandmother serving a life sentence for a first-time federal drug offense; Trump commuted her sentence in 2018 before fully pardoning her in 2020.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2025
In the closing weeks of his presidency, Biden loosed his pardoning pen.
From Salon ● Jan. 22, 2025
Gerald Ford is best remembered not for his administration’s fight against inflation or for signing campaign finance reforms but for pardoning his predecessor, Richard Nixon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2025
The modern era of parsimonious pardoning began in the late 1970s, when the attorney general delegated the task of recommending pardons to a bureaucracy within the Justice Department.
From Slate ● Dec. 2, 2024
Farmer asked, referring to his argument with Alex about pardoning prisoners.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
