pardon

American  

[pahr-dn] / ˈpɑr dn /

noun

1. 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?

2. Law.

   1. a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor.

   2. the document by which such remission is declared.

3. forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.

   Synonyms:

   remission, absolution

4. Obsolete. a papal indulgence.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to make courteous allowance for or to excuse.

   Pardon me, madam.

   Antonyms:

   blame, censure

2. to release (a person) from liability for an offense.

   Synonyms:

   clear, acquit

3. to remit the penalty of (an offense).

   The governor will not pardon your crime.

   Synonyms:

   overlook, condone, absolve, forgive

interjection

1. (used, with rising inflection, as an elliptical form of I beg your pardon, as when asking a speaker to repeat something not clearly heard or understood.)

pardon British  

/ ˈpɑːdən /

verb

1. to excuse or forgive (a person) for (an offence, mistake, etc)

   to pardon someone

   to pardon a fault

---

noun

1. forgiveness; allowance

2. 1. release from punishment for an offence

   2. the warrant granting such release

3. a Roman Catholic indulgence

1. Also: pardon me.   I beg your pardon. 

   1. sorry; excuse me

   2. what did you say?

pardon Idioms  

1. see beg to differ; excuse me.

---

Related Words

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

• nonpardoning adjective
• pardonable adjective
• pardonableness noun
• pardonably adverb
• pardonless adjective
• unpardonable adjective
• unpardonably adverb
• unpardoned adjective
• unpardoning adjective

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,” 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.

Example Sentences

In a recent meeting, the president said he would pardon those within 200 feet of the Oval Office, according to people familiar with the remarks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Cuba announced on Thursday that it would soon pardon and release 2,010 prisoners as a “humanitarian gesture,” though it is unclear if any were protesters.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The system, created during her father Alberto Fujimori's term in office, was widely criticized for unfair trials that later forced the state to pardon hundreds of prisoners.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

They may be the subject of - pardon the pun - heated debate, almost religious in its fervour.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

He always slept with one eye open, so in a moment he raised up and rubbed his cold nose against mine to beg my pardon for his absence.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• absolution
• allowance
• amnesty
• clemency
• mercy
• remission
• reprieve